A 2-month incubation study was carried out using two soil types to determine nitrogen mineralization of different inorganic-organic amendments. The following seven treatments (T) were established; T1 = control, T2 = 5 g of dry algae per kg of soil (100%DA), T3 = 136g of agri-mat per kg of soil (100%GA), T4 = 61 g of ground grass per kg of soil (100%GG), T5 = 2.5 g of dry algae + 2.5 g of nitrogen fertilizer (NF) per kg of soil (50%DA50NF), T6 = 50%GA50NF, T7 = 50%GG50NF. Three samples per treatment were drawn at 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, and 60 days for mineral-N determination. A 2-month glasshouse experiment was established afterwards with the following five treatments: T1 = Control, T2 = 50%DA, T3 = 50%GA, T4 = 50%GG, and T5 = 100NF. The results indicated that nitrogen mineralization was significantly higher in organic-inorganic amendments compared to sole organic amendments. The percentage differences ranged from 157% to 195%. The 50%DA treatment increased spinach yield by 20.6% in sandy loam and 36.5% in loam soil. It is difficult to fully recommend the 50%DA treatment without field-scale evaluation, but it is a promising option to be considered.

Aspalathin (ASP) can protect H9c2 cardiomyocytes against high glucose (HG)-induced shifts in myocardial substrate preference, oxidative stress and apoptosis. While the protective mechanism of aspalathin remains unknown, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) has emerged as a key factor for intracellular responses against oxidative stress. Therefore, we hypothesized that aspalathin protects the myocardium against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage by up-regulating Nrf2 expression in H9c2 cardiomyocytes and diabetic (db/db) mice. Using an oxidative stress RT2 Profiler PCR array, ASP at a dose of 1 µM was demonstrated to protect H9c2 cardiomyocytes against HG-induced oxidative stress, but silencing of Nrf2 abolished this protective response of ASP and exacerbated cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Db/db mice and their non-diabetic (db/+) littermate controls were subsequently treated daily for 6 weeks with either a low (13 mg/kg) or high (130 mg/kg) ASP dose. Compared to nondiabetic mice the db/db mice presented increased cardiac remodeling and enlarged left ventricular wall that occurred concomitant to enhanced oxidative stress. Daily treatment of mice with ASP at a dose of 130 mg/kg for 6 weeks was more effective at reversing complications than both a low dose ASP or metformin, eliciting enhanced expression of Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant genes. These results indicate that ASP maintains cellular homeostasis and protects the myocardium against hyperglycemia-induced stress through activation of Nrf2 and its downstream target genes.

Aspalathin, a C-glucosyl dihydrochalcone, has previously been shown to protect cardiomyocytes against hyperglycemia-induced shifts in substrate preference and subsequent apoptosis. However, the precise gene regulatory network remains to be elucidated. To unravel the mechanism and provide insight into this supposition, the direct effect of aspalathin in an isolated cell-based system, without the influence of any variables, was tested using an H9c2 cardiomyocytes model. Cardiomyocytes were exposed to high glucose (33 mM) for 48 hours before post-treatment with or without aspalathin. Thereafter, RNA was extracted and RT2 PCR Profiler Arrays were used to profile the expression of 336 genes. Results showed that, 57 genes were differentially regulated in the high glucose or high glucose and aspalathin treated groups. STRING analysis revealed lipid metabolism and molecular transport as the biological processes altered after high glucose treatment, followed by inflammation and apoptosis. Aspalathin was able to modulate key regulators associated with lipid metabolism (Adipoq, Apob, Cd36, Cpt1, Pparγ, Srebf1/2, Scd1 and Vldlr), insulin resistance (Igf1, Akt1, Pde3 and Map2k1), inflammation (Il3, Il6, Jak2, Lepr, Socs3, and Tnf13) and apoptosis (Bcl2 and Chuk). Collectively, our results propose that aspalathin could reverse metabolic abnormalities by activating Adipoq while modulating the expression of Pparγ and Srebf1/2, decreasing inflammation via Il6/Jak2 pathway, which together with an observed increased expression of Bcl2 prevents myocardium apoptosis.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health problem. The human gut microbiome is implicated in the dynamics of antibiotic resistance acquisition and transmission, with the gut microbiota thought to play a crucial role. This study aimed to determine the potential influence of human gut bacteria microbiota on the gut resistome and the relationship between gut background microbiota and Escherichia coli resistome. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines was used to systematically review studies that characterised gut microbiota and resistome using metagenomic analysis and/or those that reported gut E. coli resistome in healthy individuals. Changes in the diversity and abundance of bacterial gut microbiota and the resistome across different groups and the microbiota composition of the gut harbouring antibiotic-resistant E. coli were summarised. Findings suggest that lower bacterial microbiota diversity is likely associated with an increased abundance of the overall gut resistome. Age-related differences were observed, with younger infants exhibiting lower microbiota diversity and higher ARG abundance compared to older infants and adults. Studies that reported correlation revealed positive correlations between the compositional relative abundance of Proteobacteria and ARGs abundance, mainly driven by members within the Enterobacteriaceae family, particularly E. coli. This study also revealed that human gut microbiome studies that investigate gut resistome using metagenomic sequencing approaches in apparently healthy individuals are at least uncommon.

The rest-breaking agent, hydrogen cyanamide (HC), can substitute insufficient chill unit accumulation in Vitis vinifera and induce uniform bud-break; however, due to its toxicity it is being banned. In South Africa, red seedless grapes, including V. vinifera Crimson Seedless (CS), are the largest table grape export group; therefore, replacing HC in V. vinifera CS is crucial. This study aimed to confirm the molecular triggers induced by HC and assess the bud-break-enhancing abilities of commercial plant biostimulants. Forced bud-break assay experiments using V. vinifera CS single-node cuttings and a small-scale field trial were performed. Results demonstrated that increased chill unit accumulation (CUA), reduced HC efficacy. Bud-break started between 10 and 20 days after treatment, irrespective of final CUA. The small-scale field trial found that HC3 % resulted in a slightly delayed bud-break rate, whilst biostimulants were similar to the negative control. The treatment of dormant grapevine compound buds with nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hypoxia trigger dormancy-release to a certain extent, supporting the molecular models proposed for HC action. NO, H2O2, and hypoxia, in combination with PBs, may potentially replace HC; however, this needs to be confirmed in future experiments.

This article examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) perpetuated in financial statements to develop a framework to curb IFFs. IFFs create opacity, impeding economic progress through investment deterrents and financial uncertainty. Through a comprehensive literature review and the synthesis of sets of qualitative propositions, the researchers previously developed a conceptual framework to address IFFs, and the purpose of the present article is to strengthen and validate the framework among stakeholders in the financial and audit sectors. Following a mixed inductive and deductive research approach and a qualitative methodological choice, the researchers conducted interviews among practitioners to enhance the framework, followed by a focus group to validate the framework. IFF challenges that emerged are tax evasion, for example, investments in untraceable offshore accounts, harming the economy, bitcoins not being subject to regulation everywhere in the world and being used by cryptocurrency criminals to transfer IFFs to nations with lax regulations. Internationally, IFF risks are also determined by geographical position, trade links and porous borders among countries emerged as further challenges, calling for entities to execute existing policies, improve tax enforcement methods, apply cross-border coordination, and practice financial reporting transparency aimed at combatting IFF practices. On the strength of these, the industry surveys significantly enhanced the conceptual framework.

One important goal of research on heterogeneous catalysis for Fischer Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is to understand the connection linking catalyst morphology and its activity. Development of these effective catalysts highlights the potential for understanding the effectiveness of promoted supported catalysts and revealing their complex and dynamic effects in FTS. The metal-support interaction (MSI) is influenced by the physicochemical and textural features provided by the modified support and can directly influence the sizes of active metal crystallites, reactants and/or products mass transfer, dispersion, mechanical strength, stability and consequently the adsorption-desorption characteristics of the catalyst. Herein, this article explores the general strategies for modifying silica supports (achieved through doping, coating, or promoting the support or support precursor) and how these strategies can be manipulated to further alter catalyst performance and product selectivity by enhancing the amount of active metal species and improving the intrinsic turnover frequency (TOF). Furthermore, the review emphasises a new strategy (the inverse model of the silica support modification) aiming at overcoming the challenges posed by active metal coating or coverage, as well as pore blockages by promoters that occur during conventional preparation of promoted silica supported FT catalysts.

Households and businesses are generating unprecedented levels of electrical and electronic wastes (e-waste), fueled by modernisation and rapid obsolescence. While the challenges imposed by e-waste are similar everywhere in the world, disparities in progress to deal with it exists; with developing nations such as South Africa lagging. The increase in e-waste generation increases the need to formulate strategies to manage it. This paper presents an overview of e-waste management on a global and South African scenarios with a specific case for Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) waste management practices in South Africa. CRTs present the biggest problem for recyclers and policy makers because they contain hazardous elements such as lead and antimony. Common disposal practices have been either landfilling or incineration. The research into the South African practices with regards to CRT waste management showed that there is still more to be done to effectively manage this waste stream. This is despite clear waste regulatory frameworks in the country. However, recent developments have placed e-waste as a priority waste stream, which should lead to intensified efforts in dealing with it. Overall, these efforts should aim to maximise diversion from landfilling and to create value-addition opportunities, leading to social and environmental benefits.

Droughts have negative impacts on agricultural productivity and economic growth. Effective monitoring and accurate forecasting of drought occurrences and trends are crucial for minimizing drought losses and mitigating their spatial and temporal effects. In this study, trend dynamics in monthly total rainfall time series measured at Cape Town International Airport were analyzed using Mann-Kendall (MK) test, Modified Mann-Kendall (MMK) and innovative trend analysis (ITA) were examined. Additionally, we utilized hybrid prediction method that combined the model with the complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) technique, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, the long short-term memory (LSTM) network (i.e. CEEMDAN-ARIMA-LSTM) to forecast SPI values of 6-, 9-, and 12-months using rainfall data between 1995 and 2020 from Cape Town International Airport meteorological rainfall stations. The results demonstrate the following essential points: (1) The trend analysis results of the total monthly rainfall values indicate a significant decreasing trend with the negative z-score (MK= -3.7541 and MMK= - 4.0773). ITA also indicated a significant downwards trend of rainfall in the study area. (2) As the forecasting horizon increases, the prediction accuracy of the models and CEEMDAN-combined models gradually improves, reaching their optimum performance at the 12-month horizon. (3) CEEMDAN efficiently stabilizes time-series data, resulting in greater prediction accuracy in the hybrid model compared to individual models at all timescales. (4) The RMSE and R2 values for the hybrid CEEMDAN-ARIMA-LSTM model at a 12-month forecasting horizon are 0.042 and 0.995, demonstrating the applicability of this hybrid approach for drought forecasting.

The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) poses a significant global public health concern, especially in Africa. Since its first isolation in Tanzania in 1953, CHIKV has caused recurrent outbreaks, challenging healthcare systems in low-resource settings. Recent outbreaks in Africa highlight the dynamic nature of CHIKV transmission and the challenges of underreporting and underdiagnosis. Here, we review literature and analyze publicly available cases, outbreaks, and genomic data providing insights into the epidemiology, genetic diversity, and transmission dynamics of CHIKV in Africa. Our analyses reveal the circulation of geographically distinct CHIKV genotypes, with certain regions experiencing a disproportionate burden of disease. Phylogenetic analysis of sporadic outbreaks in West Africa suggests repeated emergence of the virus through enzootic spillover, which is markedly different from inferred transmission dynamics in East Africa, where the virus is often introduced from Asian outbreaks, including the recent reintroduction of the Indian Ocean lineage from the Indian subcontinent to east Africa. Furthermore, there is limited evidence of viral movement between these two regions. Understanding the history and transmission dynamics of outbreaks is crucial for public health planning. Despite advances in surveillance and research, diagnostic and surveillance challenges persist. This review and secondary analysis highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance, research, and collaboration to mitigate the burden of CHIKV in Africa and improve public health outcomes.

Although mammography has been the gold standard for early detection of breast cancer, if a woman has dense breast tissue, a false negative diagnosis may occur. Breast ultrasound, whether hand-held or automated, is a useful adjunct to mammography but adds extra time and cost. The primary aim was to demonstrate that our second-generation Aceso system, which combines full-field digital mammography (FFDM) and automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) in a single platform, is able to produce improved quality images that provide clinically meaningful results. Aceso was first tested using two industry standards: a CDMAM phantom to assess the FFDM images; and the CIRS 054GS phantom to evaluate the ABUS images. In addition, 25 women participated in a clinical trial: 14 were healthy volunteers while 11 were patients referred by the breast clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital. The CDMAM phantom results showed the FFDM results were better than EUREF’s standard of “acceptable” and were approaching “achievable”. The ABUS results showed lateral and axial spatial resolution of 0.5 mm and adequate depth penetration of 80 mm. Our second-generation Aceso system, with its improved quality of clinical FFDM and ABUS images, has demonstrated its potential for early detection of breast cancer in a busy clinic.

Financing frameworks for Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are lacking in developing countries. This study develops and recommends a financing framework for water and sanitation PPP infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe. The framework model integrates the Public Private Partnership models, sources of finance for water and sanitation PPPs, and the drivers of water and sanitation PPP finance. Both the public and private sources of finance are instrumental for financing water and sanitation PPP projects. Tobit econometric models are applied on data collected from both international and domestic data banks. The time frame for the analysis is a 25-year period running from 1996 ending 2021. Capital market variables, bank market development and economic affluence drive the financing of water and sanitation Public Private Partnership infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe. The study recommends the application of the developed framework in the water and sanitation Public Private Partnership infrastructure financing policy, for developing countries.

The study of the concentrations and effects of fine particulate matter in urban areas have been of great interest to researchers in recent times. This is due to the acknowledgment of the far-reaching impacts of fine particulate matter on public health. Remote sensing data have been used to monitor the trend of concentrations of particulate matter by deriving aerosol optical depth (AOD) from satellite images. The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) has released the second version of its global PM_2.5 data with improvement in spatial resolution. This paper revisits the study of spatial and temporal variations in particulate matter in Saudi Arabia by exploring the cluster analysis of the new data. Cluster analysis of the PM_2.5 values of Saudi cities is performed by using Anselin local Moran’s I statistic. Also, the analysis is carried out at the regional level by using self-organizing map (SOM). The results show an increasing trend in the concentrations of particulate matter in Saudi Arabia, especially in some selected urban areas. The eastern and south-western parts of the Kingdom have significantly clustering high values. Some of the PM2.5 values have passed the threshold indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) standard and targets posing health risks to Saudi urban population.

The advent of deep learning (DL) has revolutionized medical imaging, offering unprecedented avenues for accurate disease classification and diagnosis. DL models have shown remarkable promise for classifying brain tumor from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. However, despite their impressive performance, the opaque nature of DL models poses challenges in understanding their decision-making processes, particularly crucial in medical contexts where interpretability is essential. This paper explores the intersection of medical image analysis and DL interpretability, aiming to elucidate the decision-making rationale of DL models in brain tumor classification. Leveraging state-of-the-art DL frameworks with transfer learning, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation encompassing both classification accuracy and interpretability. Using state-of-the-art DL frameworks with transfer learning, we conduct a thorough evaluation covering both classification accuracy and interpretability. We employ adaptive path-based techniques to understand the underlying decision-making mechanisms of these models. Grad-CAM and Grad-CAM++ highlight critical image regions where the tumors are located.

The main proteinase (Mpro), or 3CLpro, is a critical enzyme in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lifecycle and is responsible for breaking down and releasing vital functional viral proteins crucial for virus development and transmission. As a catalytically active dimer, its dimerization interface has become an attractive target for antiviral drug development. Recent research has extensively investigated the enzymatic activity of Mpro, focusing on its role in regulating the coronavirus replication complex and its significance in virus maturation and infectivity. Computational investigations have identified four druggable pockets, suggesting potential allosteric sites beyond the substrate-binding region. Empirical validation through site-directed alanine mutagenesis targeted residues in both the active and allosteric regions corroborated these predictions. Structural studies of drug target proteins can inform therapeutic approaches, with metadynamics simulations shedding light on the role of H163 in regulating Mpro function and providing insights into its dynamic equilibrium to the wild-type enzyme. Despite the efficacy of vaccines and drugs in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 spread, ongoing viral evolution, selective pressures, and continued transmission pose challenges, potentially leading to resistance mutations. Phylogenetic analyses indicated the existence of several resistance variations predating drug introduction to the human population, emphasizing the likelihood of drug spread. Hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry reveals the structural influence of the mutation, while clinical trials on 3CLPro inhibitors underscore the clinical significance of reduced enzymatic activity and offer avenues for future therapeutic exploration. Understanding the implications of 3CLPro mutations holds promise for shaping forthcoming therapeutic strategies against COVID-19. This review delves into factors influencing mutation rates and identifies areas warranting further investigation, providing a comprehensive overview of Mpro mutations, their categorization, and terminology. Moreover, we examined their associations with clinical outcomes, illness severity, unresolved issues, and future research prospects, including their impact on vaccine efficacy and potential therapeutic targeting.

Recent technological advancements in conservation genetics and genomics have resulted in diverse tools for aiding conservation of species. The precision and resolution of high throughput sequencing technologies provide valuable insights to aid conservation decisions, but these technologies are often financially unfeasible or unavailable in resource constrained countries. Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers, when combined with sensitive automated detection systems, provide a simple, cheap means to investigate genetic diversity and discriminate closely related species. Here we apply this technology to assess genetic diversity and taxonomic delimitation in the Encephalartos eugene-maraisii species complex, a highly threatened, taxonomically dubious group of cycads in South Africa. Our analyses support taxonomic singularity of E. dyerianus, E. dolomiticus and E. eugene-maraisii. Relationships between E. nubimontanus and E. cupidus remain uncertain. E. middelburgensis samples showed no clustering but had poor amplification success. This study demonstrates the suitability of automated ISSR fingerprinting as a method for plant conservation studies, especially in resource-constrained countries, and we make recommendations as to how this methodology can be effectively implemented.

Background: Breastfeeding is essential for optimal infant health, offering numerous benefits such as infection prevention and enhanced bonding. Despite its importance, challenges exist, particularly for mothers of preterm and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, necessitating effective lactation support strategies. Initiatives like the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) aim to promote breastfeeding success, while donor human milk (DHM) serves as an alternative bridge while the mother is supported to build up her supply. Adequate lactation support, counseling, and education are vital antenatally, during NICU stays and after discharge to improve breastfeeding rates and infant health outcomes, ultimately contributing to global efforts to reduce neonatal mortality and achieve sustainable development goals. This study explores existing research on factors influencing mothers’ ability to produce breast milk and sustain breastfeeding, with the aim of enhancing lactation support and improving infant health outcomes.Methods/Design: A systematic review will be conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Searches will be performed in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE Ovid via EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, and WILEY online Library) to identify and incorporate primary research articles related to the topic published between 2014 and 2024. Authors will search peer-reviewed articles, gray literature sources, and reference lists to identify eligible studies. Independent abstract and full-text screening by two reviewers will follow the title screening. The analysis of data will be carried out using Review Manager software (version 5.3.5). The I² test will be used to quantify the amount of unexplained heterogeneity. Potential biases related to study size (such as publication bias) will be examined through the application of several techniques, including funnel plots, Egger’s test, Begg’s test, and Trim and Fill analysis.Discussion: Our review represents a singular exploration into exclusive breastfeeding among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), focusing on breastfeeding assistance methods. With VLBW defined as less than 1500 g, and most low birth weight (LBW) babies born in LMICs, there is a critical need to address feeding challenges and promote optimal nutrition. Despite updated WHO guidelines in 2022, there is still a lack of comprehensive advice for this vulnerable population. Peer support interventions and health worker counseling have shown promise in increasing breastfeeding continuation rates in LMICs, but challenges persist due to workforce shortages and inadequate documentation. Promoting early postpartum milk expression is crucial for milk production and infant health. Our review aims to fill the gap in understanding VLBW mothers’ breastfeeding experiences in LMICs, shedding light on the effectiveness of breastfeeding support methods and identifying areas for further research. Systematic review registration: CRD42024547864

This study explores the current landscape of social value (SV) research in the construction industry, analyzing global trends and identifying future research directions. Using bibliometric analysis, research published in Elsevier Scopus database from 2013 to 2023 was extracted using the keywords "social value" AND "construction industry." Results indicate a focus on social value indicators, socioeconomic impacts, project management, innovative practices, and cross-sector collaborations. The study also reveals a lack of attention to SV in African countries' construction sectors. By highlighting research areas and identifying gaps, this study contributes to academic literature, suggesting the need for guidelines, particularly in developing countries, and advocating for further research on SV in the built environment and strategies for global social value creation.

Analysis of land use/land cover (LULC) in the catchment areas is the first action toward safeguarding the freshwater resources. The LULC information in the watershed has gained popularity in the natural science field as it helps water resource managers and environmental health specialists develop natural resource conservation strategies based on available quantitative information. Thus, remote sensing is the cornerstone in addressing environmental-related issues at the catchment level. In this study, the performance of four machine learning algorithms (MLAs), such as Random Forests (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Naïve Bayes (NB) was investigated to classify the catchment into nine relevant classes of the undulating watershed landscape using Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (L8-OLI) imagery. The assessment of the MLAs were based on the visual inspection of the analyst and the commonly used assessment metrics, such as user’s accuracy (UA), producers’ accuracy (PA), overall accuracy (OA), and kappa coefficient. The MLAs produced good results, where RF (OA= 97.02%, Kappa= 0.96), SVM (OA= 89.74 %, Kappa= 0.88), ANN (OA= 87%, Kappa= 0.86), and NB (OA= 68.64 Kappa= 0.58). The results show the outstanding performance of the RF model over SVM and ANN with a small margin. While NB yielded satisfactory results, which could be primarily influenced by its sensitivity to limited training samples. In contrast, the robust performance of RF could be due to an ability to classify high-dimensional data with limited training data.

Vernonia mespilifolia is widely used in folk medicine in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological activity of the acetone, aqueous and ethanol extracts of Vernonia mespilifolia using brine shrimp hatchability and lethality assay. The result showed hatching success in this order: aqueous extract (48.6%) > acetone extract (38.2%) > ethanol extract (26.8%). The LC₅₀ of the lethality assay were in this order: acetone extract (67.8 µg/mL) > aqueous extract (132 µg/mL) > ethanol extract (383 µg/mL). According to Meyer’s toxicity index (using brine shrimps), LC₅₀ < 1000 µg/ mL is toxic. Therefore, the results of the three solvent extracts could be said to be toxic as do have LC₅₀ < 1000 µg/ mL. However, the toxicity of the crude extracts could suggest or confer some antitumor properties, hence further in vitro, in vivo and antitumour assays are recommended to further substantiate these claims.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its enablers would shape community uptake of non-covid vaccines such as oral cholera vaccine (OCV) in the post-COVID-19 era. This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its drivers on OCV hesitancy in a cholera endemic region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We conducted a community-based survey in Bukavu. The survey included characteristics, intention to take OCV and COVID-19, reasons for COVID-19 hesitancy, and thinking and feeling about COVID-19 vaccines. Poisson regression analyses were performed. Of the 1708 respondents, 84.66% and 77.57% were hesitant to OCV alone and to both OCV and COVID-19, respectively. Hesitancy to COVID-19 vaccines rose OCV hesitancy by 12% (crude Prevalence Ratio, [cPR]=1.12, 95%CI[1.03-1.21]). Independent predictors of OCV hesitancy were living in semi-urban area (adjusted Prevalence Ratio [aPR]=1.10, 95%CI[1.03-1.12]), religious refusal of vaccines (aPR=1.06, 95%CI[1.02-1.12]), concerns about vaccine safety (aPR=1.05, 95%CI[1.01-1.11]) and adverse effects (aPR=1.06, 95%CI[1.01-1.12]), as well as poor knowledge (aPR=1.07, 95%CI[1.01-1.14]). Conversely, the belief about COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness reduced OCV hesitancy (aPR=0.76, 95%CI[0.62-0.93]). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its drivers exhibiting a significant domino effect on OCV uptake. Addressing vaccine hesitancy through community-based health literacy interventions would likely improve the introduction of novel non-COVID-19 vaccines in post-COVID-19 era.

The preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) involves a variety of chemical and physical methods. These methods use toxic and environmentally harmful chemicals. Consequently, the synthesis of AuNPs using green chemistry has been under investigation to develop eco-friendly nanoparticles. One method to achieve this is the use of plant-derived phytochemicals capable of reducing gold ions to produce AuNPs. The aim of this study was to implement a facile microtitre-plate method to screen a large number of aqueous plant extracts to determine the optimum concentration (OC) to bio-synthesize the AuNPs. Several AuNPs of different sizes and shapes were successfully synthesized and characterized from seventeen South African plants. The characterization was done using Ultra Violet-Visible Spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. We also studied the effects of temperature on the synthesis of the nanoparticles and measured its effect on the particle size of the synthesized AuNPs and the data showed that changes in temperatures affect the size and dispersity of the generated AuNPs. Further, some of the synthesized AuNPs were stable upon incubation with different biological solutions in vitro.

Present experimental study assesses the mechanical properties of glass/carbon/glass hybrid composite laminates after exposure to moisture and elevated temperatures for extended periods. The top and bottom layers of the hybrid laminates are glass fiber reinforced and the middle layer is carbon fiber reinforced with the matrix specified as a polymer material. The hybrid laminates were manufactured using the resin transfer molding method and their compressive and tensile properties were determined using a tensile testing machine. The material parameters such as the storage modulus, the loss modulus, and the damping factors of the laminates were identified using dynamic mechanical analysis as a function of the temperature and the vibration frequency. The experimental results on compressive and tensile properties revealed slight variations when the hybrid laminates were kept at low temperatures for extended periods. This might occur due to the increasing molecular cross-linking of the polymer network. As the temperature increased, compressive, tensile, storage modules, loss modulus, and damping factors decreased. This might occur due to the increasing mobility of the binder material. Particularly, the highest stiffness parameters were obtained on -80°C/GCG (Glass/Carbon/Glass) laminates due to the presence of beta transition on the glassy region. The relationships between the glass transitions and the targeted frequencies were characterized. The values of the glass transition shift towards higher temperatures as the frequency increases. This might occur due to a reduction in the gaps between the crosslinking of the epoxy network when the frequency increases. The accuracy of the storage modulus results was compared with the empirical models. The model based on the Arrhenius law provided the closest correlation. Meanwhile, another model was observed that was not accurate enough to predict when gamma and beta relaxations occur under a glassy state.

Escherichia coli is an indicator microorganism in One Health antibiotic resistance surveillance programmes. The purpose of the study was to describe and compare E. coli isolates obtained from pigs and human contacts from a commercial farm in South Africa using conventional methods and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Porcine E. coli isolates were proportionally more resistant phenotypically and harboured a richer diversity of antibiotic resistance genes, as compared to human E. coli isolates. Different pathovars, namely ExPEC (12.43%, 21/169), ETEC (4.14%; 7/169), EPEC (2.96%, 5/169), EAEC (2.96%, 5/169) and STEC (1.18%, 2/169) were detected at low frequencies. Sequence type complex (STc) 10 were the most prevalent (85.51%, 59/169) among human and porcine isolates. Six STcs (STc10, STc86, STc168, STc206, STc278 and STc469) were shared at the human-livestock interface according to multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Core genome MLST and hierarchical clustering (HC) showed that human and porcine isolates were overall genetically diverse, but some clustering at HC2 to HC200 were observed. In conclusion, even though the isolates shared a spatio-temporal relationship, there were still differences in the virulence potential, antibiotic resistance profiles, and cgMLST and HC according to the source of isolation.

Infant mortality remains a major global concern. Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) is reported globally and in the Western Cape of South Africa it accounted for 40% of all infant deaths between 2012 and 2016. Research highlighting molecular typing of respiratory viruses in SUDI cases is lacking. A total of 116 PCR-positive human rhinovirus (HRV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) swab samples collected from the lungs and trachea of SUDI cases admitted to Tygerberg Medico-legal Mortuary in Cape Town between 2015 and 2019 were included and underwent sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Three distinct HRV species were identified; HRV-A (n=28), HRV-C (n=11), and HRV-B (n=4), including eight HRV-A, seven HRV-C and one HRV-B genotypes. For RSV, both RSV-A (n=5) and -B (n=5) were detected, but no RSV-A. After amino acid alignment indicating 20 amino acid duplication and nine substitutions, two BA9 genotypes were confirmed. This study describes the first molecular and phylogenetic characterisation of respiratory viruses in SUDI cases in South Africa. The rapid decline in viral viability in post-mortem samples and the retrospective study design employed for the current study did not allow for any correlations between viral genotypes and cause of death and future prospective studies should investigate temporality and specific viral strains associated with clinical disease severity.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is an inherited cancer predisposition disorder associated with an elevated risk of various epithelial cancers. Despite sharing the same pathogenic variant (PV), Lynch syn-drome variant heterozygotes (LSVH) exhibit considerable phenotypic variability in cancer risk. The role of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) in modifying cancer risk prompted our investiga-tion into whether HLA variations act as genetic modifiers influencing age at cancer diagnosis in a unique cohort of LSVH carrying a PV in the hMLH1 gene in South Africa. Within our extensive LS cohort, 426 individuals carried the same hMLH1 PV (MLH1:c.1528C>T). We selected 100 indi-viduals with the greatest diversity in age at cancer diagnosis and the oldest unaffected individu-als for high-throughput HLA genotyping of 12 HLA class I and II loci using next-generation se-quencing. Statistical analyses employed Kaplan-Meier survival analyses with Logrank tests and Cox proportional hazards. Following the robust application of statistical correction methods, six HLA alleles (3.2%) were significantly associated with a young age at cancer diagnosis. Notably, HLA-B*15:17 and HLA-DPB1*55:01 correlated significantly with very young colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis (Mean age: 21y [17-25]; HR = 71.59; q

The global antibiotic resistance crisis, driven by antibiotic overuse and misuse, is multifaceted. This study aimed to assess the microbiological and genetic characteristics of raw retail pork meat, including the isolation, antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), whole genome sequencing (WGS) of selected indicator bacteria, antibiotic residue testing, and metagenomic sequencing. Samples were purchased from 10 randomly selected retail stores in Gauteng, South Africa. Samples were aseptically separated, with a portion sent to an external laboratory for isolating indicator bacteria and antibiotic residue testing. Identification of the isolated bacteria was reconfirmed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). AST was performed using the Microscan Walkaway system. WGS and metagenomic sequencing were performed using the Illumina NextSeq 550 instrument. The isolated E. coli and enterococci exhibited little phenotypic resistance, with WGS revealing tetracycline resistance genes. Isolated bacteria and meat samples all harboured tetracycline resistance genes, and the antibiotic residue concentrations were within acceptable limits for human consumption. In the metagenomic context, most identified bacteria were of food/meat spoilage and environmental origin, with the resistome analysis primarily indicating beta-lactam, tetracycline and multidrug resistance genes. Further research is needed to understand the broader implications of these findings on environmental health and antibiotic resistance.

With buildings accounting for a significant portion of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise for enhancing sustainability in the building lifecycle. This systematic literature review addresses the current understanding of AI's potential to optimize energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact in building design, construction, and operation. A comprehensive literature review and synthesis were conducted to identify AI technologies applicable to sustainable building practices, examine their influence, and analyze the challenges of implementation. The review was guided by a meticulous search strategy utilizing keywords related to AI application in sustainable building design, construction, and operation. The findings reveal AI's capabilities in optimizing energy efficiency through intelligent control systems, enabling predictive maintenance, and aiding design simulation. Advanced machine learning algorithms facilitate data-driven analysis and prediction, while digital twins provide real-time insights for informed decision-making. Furthermore, the review identifies barriers to AI adoption, including cost concerns, data security risks, and challenges in implementation. AI presents a transformative opportunity to enhance sustainability in the built environment, offering innovative solutions for energy optimization and environmentally conscious practices. However, addressing technical and practical challenges will be crucial for the successful integration of AI in sustainable building practices.

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic human pathogen and a leading cause of bloodstream infections. It can acquire different antibiotic resistance genes, leading to treatment failure. Aim: We elaborate on the genomic characteristics; antibiotic resistance, virulence, pathogenicity, phylogenomics and clonal diversity of S. aureus implicated in bloodstream infections. Six multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. aureus, three methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and three methicillin-sensitive S. aureus obtained from blood cultures underwent whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. All isolates carried different permutations and combinations of resistance genes including, blaZ, mecA, aac(6')-aph (2''), ant(9)-Ia, ant(6)-Ia, mepR, fosB, norA, norC, lmrS, arlS, arlR, mgrA, kdpD and sdrM. We found 6 spa types (t9475, t355, t045, t1265, t1257, and t7888) with varying profiles of virulence genes responsible for immune invasion, enterotoxins, adhesion/biofilm, haemolysins, and leukotoxins. Panton-Valentine leukocidin (Luk-PV) was found in one MSSA isolate. Two SCCmec types IVd(2B) and I(1B) were identified. Isolates belonged to four multilocus sequence types (MLSTs), the most common of which was ST5 (n=3). The STs were clustered into two clonal complexes CC5 and CC8. We found two MRSA clones typed as ST5-CC5-t045-SCCmec_I(1B), and the human-associated MRSA endemic clone ST612-CC8-t1257-SCCmec_IVd(2B). The insertion sequences IS30 and IS6 associated with virulence were found in two isolates. The presence of virulent MDR S. aureus in bloodstream infections poses a clinical concern because of limited treatment options and increased risk of mortality.

Transportation systems through the ages have seen drastic evolutions in terms of transportation methods, speed of transport, infrastructure, technology, connectivity, influence on the environment, and accessibility. The massive transformation seen in the transportation sector has been fueled by the industrial revolutions which have continued expansion and progress into the fourth industrial revolution. However, the methodologies of data collection and processing used by the many drivers of this progress differ. The significance of standardized data and its mode of collection cannot be overstated as it has a major impact on the process outcomes. In order to achieve a better understanding of the impact of this, this study methodically reviewed the literature on the subject of the data collection and processing mechanism of 4IR technologies in the context of the transport industry with an emphasis on the areas of accomplishment of several studies and drawing attention to their limitations. Although the industry has advanced significantly as a result of the adoption and application of various research studies in this field, considerable focus needs to be placed in the areas of standardized data collection and computational approaches, which will ultimately assist in achieving various benefits in the transportation industry.

This comprehensive review explores recent advancements in heavy metal remediation techniques, focusing on the utilization of cellulose-silica composites and tailored surface modification techniques. We examine the synthesis strategies and properties of cellulose-silica adsorbents, highlighting their enhanced adsorption capacities and structural robustness for removing heavy metal pollutants from aqueous environments. The review investigates various surface modification approaches, including thiol-functionalization, amino acid grafting, and silane coupling agents, for optimizing the surface chemistry and morphology of cellulose-silica composites. Mechanistic insights into the adsorption processes and kinetics of modified adsorbents are discussed, along with considerations for optimizing adsorption performance under different environmental conditions. This review provides valuable perspectives on the development of effective adsorbent materials for sustainable heavy metal remediation applications.

This study aimed at characterizing the composition and performing chemical speciation modelling to determine species that are abundant in the coal fly ash (CFA) and soil samples sourced from Hendrina Power station located in Mpumalanga Province. All CFA samples were alkaline in nature with pH values ranging between 8.11 ± 0.07 and 8.60 ± 0.03 with an electrical conductivity (EC) ranging between 301.70 and 1515.00 µS/cm while EC of control soil was 103.10 µS/cm. The control soil pH was found to be 6.24 ± 0.13 and total organic carbon values ranged between 2.68 and 85.82 mg/kg and some percentage organic carbon values of CFAs were found to be greater than 8%, which is above the permissible limits of hazardous waste dumping. Oxidation-reduction potential values were negative in all CFA samples and positive in soil. The speciation modelling showed that the potential for a trace metal to have hazardous effects in soil systems depends on its concentration, specific form and interactions with other constituents in CFA. The slow release of metals from CFA to soil was assessed by looking at how a given metal is distributed throughout its several possible chemical forms. The presence of divalent cations (Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, etc.) in CFAs might pose a threat to soil quality. In the competition for binding sites on ferric hydroxides, dissolved metal ions faced off against other metals. Protons (H+) were seen to be in competition with Pb, Cu and Zn for the ability to bind to hydroxyl (OH-) groups and this is due to chemical precipitation and surface complexation.

Studies have demonstrated the critical role that safety plays in preserving favourable working conditions in the construction industry, which is necessary to accomplish goals. The aim of this research was to inform stakeholders in the construction industry in developing nations about the value of safety and possible strategies for influencing their opinions regarding safety protocols. The importance of safety to the construction sector, which is crucial to the advancement of the country, has also been emphasized. However, due to a lack of adequate safety understanding among stakeholders in the construction sector, the construction industry is characterized by a great deal of instability and hazard. To determine what factors, affect productive working conditions in the construction production, this study examined safety. A conceptual framework for safe working conditions in the construction sector was developed by considering several aspects, including the person dimension, environment factor, safety behaviour, organization features, technology, and incentives. It is now imperative to bring in these dimensions to improve the safe working conditions in the construction industry, particularly in the developing countries. By putting these safety factors into practice, the construction industry can reduce safety risks, lower the number of accidents and fatalities, cut expenses related to subpar safety performance, safeguard the reputation of construction companies, boost employee morale and satisfaction with their work, enhanced employee retention, reduced absenteeism, and enhanced sustainability goals. Additionally, the proposed conceptual framework is assured to be new and to be widely accepted in the developing nations. Based on this assumption the conceptual framework is designed.

Background Praziquantel is the commonly used conventional treatment recommended for schistosomiasis in the mainstream healthcare system. Although Praziquantel may be free in healthcare facilities, many individuals may resort to the use of traditional medicine. This study aimed to assess perceptions of participants on the availability of Praziquantel and to ascertain whether individuals infected with schistosomiasis used concurrently African traditional medicines with this treatment. Methods A cross–sectional descriptive study, using face-to-face interviews, was conducted from January to April 2023 among healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients. A review of medical chart records of patients was further carried out to triangulate the information from interviews. Ddescriptive statistics including frequency and percentage were used; categorical data were represented as tables. Chi-squared tests were performed for the association between continuous variables. A p value ≤ 0.05 was estimated as statistically significant. Results Most of HCWs (114/124; 91.9%) reported that Praziquantel was available in healthcare facilities. Majority of HCWs (76/124; 61.3%) did not know whether patients seen by them used concurrently traditional medicine and Praziquantel for schistosomiasis. There was no significant relationship between the availability of Praziquantel and the concurrent use of TM by patients for schistosomiasis (X2 = 3.042, p = 0.551). Patients seen by THPs (8/20, 40%) did not use Praziquantel for schistosomiasis. Those patients (8/15, 53.3%) who crossed from TM to the mainstream healthcare system did not disclose their use of TM to HCWs. Their main reason was that concurrent use of TM and Praziquantel could destroy organs or make Praziquantel not to work properly. None of the medical chart records analysed documented the concurrent use of TM and Praziquantel. Conclusion Most of HCWs were not aware of the concurrent use of TM and Praziquantel by patients for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Patients seen by THPs relied solely on TM for schistosomiasis. Although patients indicated crossing from TM to the mainstream healthcare system, there was no evidence of documented use of TM in medical chart records of patients. Further studies are needed to contribute to the knowledge of medicinal plants used by THPs for schistosomiasis.

COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges and exacerbated existing work-related struggles resulting in heightened occupational stress and impacted work performance among health caregivers. This study utilised the transactional model of stress and coping to explore the coping strategies adopted by radiology health caregivers during the pandemic with the aim to provide baseline data for enhancing preparedness and development of interventions to support staff during future health crises. A qualitative, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology coupled with constructivist and interpretivist philosophical views were utilised in a multi-method context to conduct semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions among 24 radiology health caregivers in the eThekwini district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were transcribed verbatim and manually analysed using the IPA framework. The radiology health caregivers highlighted resilience, adaptability and identified emotion-focused and problem-focused coping as their mostly preferred strategies of dealing with COVID-19 related mental distress. These included accepting professional responsibilities and duties, social coping, spiritual therapy, adaptive behavioural coping, escape-avoidance and solution-oriented approaches. The findings can guide radiology departments in developing bespoke mental health interventions to support radiology health caregivers during any future health crises.

The effect of pH regulation on biohydrogen production was studied using suspended and immobilized mixed cultures. Four sets of experiments were conducted using suspended cells under regulated pH (Sus_R) and non-regulated pH conditions (Sus_N) as well as alginate-immobilized cells under pH regulated (Imm_R) and non-pH regulated conditions (Imm_N). Sus_R showed a peak hydrogen fraction of 44% and complete glucose degradation, compared to Sus_N with a peak hydrogen fraction of 36% and a glucose degradation of 37%. Imm_R experiments showed a peak biohydrogen fraction of 35%, while the peak hydrogen fraction observed with Imm_N was 22%. The highest hydrogen fraction was observed using suspended cells under regulated pH conditions. A 100% glucose degradation was observed in both pH regulated and non-regulated processes using immobilized cells. The rate of pH change was slower for immobilized cells compared to suspended cells suggesting a better buffering capacity under non pH regulated conditions. The study showed that biohydrogen production with suspended cells in a non-regulated pH environment resulted in early termination of the process and lower productivity.

Introduction: Guardians play a pivotal role in the management of childhood illness. Their responsibilities include home managing childhood illnesses and supporting continuity of care following healthcare facility treatment. Evidence has shown that guardians' negative experience in health care facilities when accessing under-five childcare services impacts their utilization of such facilities. Exploration of guardians' experiences is important in providing the evidence base necessary for quality childcare and reducing under-five morbidity and mortality. The study aimed to explore the experiences of guardians of children under five regarding the care received in Vhembe healthcare facilities. Methods: A qualitative approach using an interpretative phenomenology analysis (IPA) was used for this study. The study was conducted in eight primary healthcare facilities in the Vhembe district, with the highest headcount for children under five. Sixteen guardians were purposefully sampled for the study. Data analysis was done following the IPA steps of data analysis. Trustworthiness criteria were followed: credibility, confirmability, dependability, authenticity, and transferability. Ethical approval was obtained from the university and the province, followed by permission from the district and the operational managers before data collection. Results: The three emerging themes are associated with participants' positive experiences as they interfaced within the healthcare system: quality care, healthcare environment, support, and empowerment. The ten sub-themes were: timely service provision, availability of medicines, perceived nursing competence and professionalism, person-centred care, welcoming environment, effective communication, positive attitude of healthcare providers, guardians’ satisfaction with care received, guardians' involvement in childcare and community support. Conclusion: It is indeed not always bad. The participants in this study had positive care experiences, which is crucial in the optimal utilization of health care services, resulting in improved health outcomes.

This study represents a significant stride in advancing furan chemistry, presenting the synthesis of high-molecular-weight polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) resin (Mw = 118,959 g/mol) from furfuryl alcohol (FA) using a co-catalytic system as against the conventional single-catalytic methods. The resulting PFA resin is fully characterised, and we conclude that it exhibits good shelf life and potential in diverse applications, serving as a standalone moulded material or contributing to composites, coatings, adhesives, and nanostructured carbons.

Background: Schistosomiasis is the third most important Neglected Tropical Disease, with more than 4 million South Africans being infected. Cases of re-infection with schistosomiasis after being treated using modern medication has opened ways to seeking alternative treatment modalities using medicinal plants. This study aims to explore and understand the way traditional healers diagnose schistosomiasis, the types of traditional medicines they use to treat it in communities with a high prevalence of infection, and to establish whether the unavailability of prescribed anti-schistosomal medicines leads to the use of traditional medicine. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using a questionnaire from December 2022 to March 2023 in the iLembe District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. In-depth individual interviews were carried out among traditional health practitioners (THPs) involved in managing female urogenital schistosomiasis (FUS). Recorded narrative data was transcribed verbatim, read through thoroughly and coded, and analysed using thematic or content analysis Results: Traditional Health Practitioners provide services to many women who did not want to be treated in the mainstream health care system for their FUS. The disease was perceived and understood the same way by most of the respondents, that being caused by use of fresh water. Various plants species, either alone or in combination, were used to manage bilharzia in women. Senecio serratuloides (Asteraceae) and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (Hypoxidaceae) were prominently used by THPs in FUS management. Conclusion: Traditional Health Practitioners are playing a key role in managing bilharzia in women in rural areas of the iLembe District, this study reported that THPs can diagnose schistosomiasis symptoms based on their knowledge and experience. Respondents indicated that modern conventional treatment was readily available and free in public sector healthcare facilities; however, they consulted patients suffering from FUS. Various traditional herbal medicines are reportedly used by THPs to manage bilharzia in women. Further studies are needed to investigate the views and experiences of clients regarding the success of the treatments used and why they seek care from THPs.

Maternal type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been shown to result in fetal programming of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to adverse fetal outcomes. T2DM is preceded by prediabetes and shares similar pathophysiological complications. However, no studies have investigated the effects of maternal prediabetes on fetal HPA axis function and postnatal offspring development, hence this study. Pre-diabetic (PD) and non-pre-diabetic (NPD) female Sprague Dawley rats were mated with non-prediabetic males. After gestation, male pups born from the PD and NPD groups were collected. Markers of HPA axis function, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone were measured in all dams and pups. Glucose tolerance and expression of mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptors were further measured in all pups at birth and their developmental milestones. The results demonstrated increased basal concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone in the dams from the PD group by comparison to NPD. Furthermore, the results show an increase in pups ACTH and corticosterone concentrations, impaired glucose tolerance and dysregulated MR and GR expression in the PD group at all developmental milestones. These observations reveal that pregestational prediabetes is associated with maternal dysregulation of the HPA axis, impacting offspring HPA axis development along with impaired glucose handling.

Coal fly ash (CFA) generated from coal-fired power plants (C-FPPs) is continuing to be an environmental health concern due to its potential to contaminate groundwater, surface water, air, and soil, leading to the degradation of land. This study investigated the effectiveness of Helichrysum splendidum Less. for phytoremediation of CFA-polluted sites by conducting pot trials experiments in 14 weeks. Plants of the same age were transplanted into CFA collected from Hendrina Power station to assess their potential in assimilating metallic pollutants (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) into their tissues and untreated plants were used as controls. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to quantify the amount of trace elements in samples and the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) were determined to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of Helichrysum splendidum. The results revealed that higher concentrations of As, Ni and Zn were accumulated in the aerial parts as indicated by the TF values greater than 1. In contrast, higher amounts of Cu, As and Zn were found in the roots for CFA grown plants, as demonstrated by their BCF values 1.22, 1.19 and 1.03, respectively. Although CFA medium had restricted growth of some plants as compared to the controls, the results showed an interesting removal efficiency ranging between 18.0 to 56.7% with highest reported for Cu and Zn. Gas exchange analysis revealed that photosynthetic parameters were almost similar in the CFA and control soil pots. The study can confirm that Helichrysum splendidum has phytoextraction and phytostabilization potentials and can be effectively employed for restoration of CFA dams.

Debates regarding human capital disclosure (HCD) emphasise the usefulness of people-related information in stimulating investor confidence and building stakeholder trust. Despite this, human capital (HC) information is interwoven in most international sustainability reporting standards such as the global reporting initiative (GRI), thereby concealing the impact of human resource (HR) practices in shareholder value creation. The aim of this study is to develop a taxonomy to assess HCD in the sustainability reports to capture the true value of HC distinctively. A content analysis-based study with a deductive approach was followed by utilising the GRI standards to isolate and classify people-related information into an HCD sustainability taxonomy. 40% HC metrics were extracted from the GRI standards and subsequently classified into 7 dimensions, namely, human capital allocation, human capital wellbeing, human capital investment, human capital network, human capital governance, human capital risk and human capital earnings. Furthermore, 40 GRI content indexes of the companies listed in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) revealed that most disclosures are covered in the human capital governance and human capital earnings categories. HCD sustainability provides investors and HR professionals with a useful tool to assess people-related information from the sustainability reports for isolating the true value of HC.

: Intermittent fasting has drawn significant interest in the clinical research community due to its potential to address metabolic complications such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Various intermittent fasting regimens include alternate-day fasting (24 hours of fasting followed by 24 hours of eating), time-restricted fasting (fasting for 14 hours and eating within a 10-hour window), and the 5:2 diet (fasting for two days and eating normally for the other five days). Intermittent fasting is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus-related complications and can slow their progression. The increasing global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus highlights the importance of early management. Since prediabetes is a precursor to type 2 diabetes mellitus, understanding its progression is essential. However, the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on prediabetes are not yet well understood. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively compile existing knowledge on the therapeutic effects of intermittent fasting in managing type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes.

Road traffic accidents are associated with different factors, such as non-signalized road networks, inexperienced drivers, lack of communication skills, distraction, and visual or cognitive impairment of road users, which have led to this increase in traffic accidents. Understanding these factors in alignment with road user communication skills can provide solutions that can reduce traffic fatalities. Road users’ communication is predominantly formal in nature, but informal means of communication also exist but are not given proper attention during the driving training and licence testing processes. Therefore, this study investigated communication skills between drivers as a factor contributing to traffic accidents in South African cities. Consequently, 16 traffic scenarios of communication between drivers were simulated using PTV Vissim and Blender software, and a semistructured interview questionnaire was used to collect data from South African road users. The questionnaire was further used to evaluate the confidence level of road users concerning informal communication. The data were analysed via regression analysis to establish the relationship between traffic accidents and miscommunication between drivers. The information gathered and analysed from this study helps to understand the informal communication types between drivers and establish where communication loss exists, which ultimately leads to a traffic accident. The results also show that misinterpretation of communication signals can present the possibility of traffic safety risk.

Generating electricity from coal combustion is highly associated with ongoing pollution problems that negatively impact the environment. Coal fly ash (CFA) is a predominant waste by-product of coal combustion which is disposed of in exposed ash dams constructed in the vicinity of power stations. Its disposal requires a large piece of land and therefore more land is converted to unproductive disposal sites, degrading the ecosystem. This waste material is classified as a hazardous substance in South Africa due to unacceptable levels of inorganic and persistent organic pollutants and its potential for dust creation. CFA is recycled and sold to the building and construction sectors, but the rate of its utilization is far less than the production rate resulting to high volumes that is stockpiled in disposal sites. More than 500 million tons CFA is produced yearly and over 200 million tons yearly remain unused globally and more CFA will continue to be produced due to high consumer energy demands, especially in countries with heavy reliance on coal for power generation. In this context, the paper discusses production of CFA, pollution problems due to its disposal, examines existing gaps within the scope of ash dam restoration processes and presents opportunities offered by phytoremediation (a low-cost and environmentally friendly technology that utilizes plants to restore the degraded environments). Ecological restoration through the use of socio-economically valuable plants (aromatic plants, legumes and grasses) has potential in addressing societal challenges and consequently impacting positively the livelihood of communities.

Relativistic shocks are one of the most plausible sites of the emission of strongly variable, polarized multi-wavelength emission from relativistic jet sources such as blazars, via diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) of relativistic particles. This paper summarizes recent results on a self-consistent coupling of diffusive shock acceleration and radiation transfer in blazar jets. We demonstrate that the observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of blazars strongly constrain the nature of hydromagnetic turbulence responsible for pitch-angle scattering by requiring a strongly energy-dependent pitch-angle mean free path. The prominent soft X-ray excess (``Big Blue Bump'') in the SED of the BL Lac object AO 0235+164 can be modelled as the signature of bulk Compton scattering of external radiation fields by the thermal electron population, which places additional constraints on the level of hydromagnetic turbulence. It has further been demonstrated that internal shocks propagating in a jet pervaded by a helical magnetic field naturally produce polarization-angle swings by 180$^o$, in tandem with multi-wavelength flaring activity, without requiring any helical motion paths or other asymmetric jet structures. The specific application of this model to 3C279 presents the first consistent, simultaneous modeling of snap-shot SEDs, multi-wavelength light curves and time-dependent polarization signatures of a blazar during a polarization-angle (PA) rotation. This model has recently been generalized to a lepto-hadronic model, in which the high-energy emission is dominated by proton synchrotron radiation. It is shown that in this case, the high-energy (X-ray and $\gamma$-ray) polarization signatures are expected to be significantly more stable (not showing PA rotations) than the low-energy (electron-synchrotron) signatures.

The purpose of this study is to establish whether digital literacy and insurtech adoption influence insurance inclusion in Uganda. Principally, we sought to determine whether insurtech adoption mediates the nexus between digital literacy and insurance inclusion. This study adopted a cross-sectional and quantitative correlational approach. The study’s sample was 391 individuals who had used digital platforms such as mobile phones and computers to access insurance products and services in Uganda. Data were collected using structured survey questionnaires. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLSEM) was employed to test the hypothesised relationships. The results demonstrate that both digital literacy and insurtech adoption significantly and positively influence insurance inclusion. We also found digital literacy to be a significant and positive determinant of insurtech adoption. Markedly, it was found that insurtech adoption mediates the association between digital literacy and insurance inclusion in Uganda. However, this study was conducted in a developing country with an underdeveloped insurance market and with low technological advancement. This may affect generalisation of the study findings. This study’s novelty lies in establishing how digital literacy and insurtech adoption interplay to influence insurance inclusion in Uganda. This is the first study to examine the effect of digital literacy and insurtech adoption on insurance inclusion.

The exponential growth and widespread adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices have introduced many vulnerabilities. Attackers frequently exploit these flaws, necessitating advanced technological approaches to protect against emerging cyber threats. This study introduces a novel approach utilizing hardware honeypots as an additional defensive layer against hardware vulnerabilities, particularly hardware trojans (HTs). HTs pose significant risks to the security of modern integrated circuits (ICs), potentially causing operational failures, denial of service, or data leakage through intentional modifications. The proposed system was implemented on a Raspberry Pi and tested on an emulated HT circuit using a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This approach leverages hardware honeypots to detect and mitigate HTs in IoT devices. The results demonstrate that the system effectively detects and mitigates HTs without imposing additional complexity on the IoT devices. The trojan-agnostic solution offers full customization to meet specific security needs, providing a flexible and robust layer of security. The findings provide valuable insights into enhancing the security of IoT devices against hardware-based cyber threats, thereby contributing to the overall resilience of IoT networks. This innovative approach offers a promising solution to address the growing security challenges in IoT environments.

Vegetative desiccation tolerance has evolved within the genus Craterostigma and Lindernia. A centre of endemism and diversification for these plants appears to occur in ancient tropical montane rainforests of east Africa in Kenya and Tanzania. Lindernia subracemosa, a desiccation-sensitive relative of C. plantagineum, occurs in these rainforests and experiences adequate rainfall and thus does not require desiccation tolerance. However, sharing this inselberg habitat, another species Lindernia brevidens does retain vegetative desiccation tolerance and is also related to the resurrection plant C. plantagineum found in South Africa. Leaf material was collected from all three species at different stages of hydration: fully hydrated, half-dry (ca. 45% relative water content), and fully desiccated. Cell wall monosaccharide datasets were collected from all three species. Comprehensive microarray polymer profiling (CoMPP) was performed using ca. 27 plant cell wall specific antibody and carbohydrate binding module probes. Global datasets do not show significant differences between the selected species suggesting that cell wall modifications in response to vegetative desiccation involve subtle cell wall remodelling not reflected by compositional analysis and that the plants and their walls are constitutively protected against desiccation.

Background: The increase in the prevalence of obesity in South Africa is a problem and weight management play an important role in the treatment of the high prevalence. For this purpose, a quantitative study was carried out using a structured questionnaire to assess predictors of attempt and failure to lose weight. Methods: One thousand and fifty adults were enrolled in the study and 54% (n=562) were overweight and obese (BMI &gt;/25kg/m2). Descriptive statistics were analysed. Inferential statistical tests (chi-square tests, logistic regression, and Pearson’s correlation coefficients) were used to determine the relationship between variables. Results: The results revealed that age, sex, marital status, educational level, employment status, income level, area of residence, ethnic groups, and self-perceived BMI (normal weight, overweight, and obese) were predictors of attempt and failure to lose weight. There was a positive correlation between self-perceived BMI and the attempt and failure to lose weight. Conclusion: Weight management is important in the realm of public health and can be regarded as an investment in the population, as it leads people toward weight control strategies grounded in empirical evidence. Additionally, the findings can inform public health policies and interventions to improve weight management strategies at the population level.

South Africa is a water stressed country experiencing mass urbanisation especially towards coastal cities. The country is already enduring the impacts of global warming and climate change with risk of water scarcity in many areas. The risk was evident with Cape Town near encounter with ‘Day Zero’ i.e., the day when water supplies would have been switched off and residents required to queue for daily water rations. The drought exposed the inadequa-cies of the existing water supply system. Paradoxically, in the same drought period, vast amounts of unutilized stormwater that could have augmented water supply run unabated into the ocean through rivers around the city. The study determined that the problem was not necessarily water shortage but lack of adequate water storage. This study investigated the suitability of coastal reservoirs for stormwater harvesting on the over 3000 km South African coastline. The objective was to identify suitable locations for coastal reservoirs. The study un-dertook a systematic process of selecting several candidate locations and eliminating unsuita-ble sites based on international best practice i.e., coastal topography, climate, hydrology, fluvi-al environment, catchment size and river water quality. Nine candidate sites were identified and ranked based on suitability and associated benefits. The identified locations in order of ranking include Knysna River, Berg River, Buffalo River, Kowie River, Thukela River, Orange River, Port of Richards Bay, Port of Durban, and Lourens River. The Knysna site, with a mean annual precipitation of 600 - 800 mm/annum and mean annual runoff of 100 - 500 Mm3/annum, was determined to be the most optimal location.

South Africa (SA) is grappling with a severe food insecurity crisis exacerbated by socioeconomic challenges. This resulted in the Department of Basic Education (DBE) advocating for the establishment of vegetable gardens at schools. However, information on the suitability of the soils in SA for sustainably growing Beetroot is unavailable. This study aimed to assess the suitability of soils for sustainable Beetroot production at various schools in the Kgakotlou circuit. Four Secondary Schools were selected: Mothimako, Madipoane, Klaas Mothapo and Phomolong. A detailed soil survey was carried out to study soils in vegetable gardens. Soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis of physicochemical properties. The soil suitability was evaluated using the physicochemical properties of the soils and optimal soil requirements for Beetroot production. We found various soils in the schools, including Cambisols (Hutton and Nkonkoni), Leptosol (Glenrosa), Plinthosol (Westleigh), and Acrisols (Tshiombo and Tubatse). Portions of the gardens on Hutton and Westleigh soil were moderately suitable (S2), limited by electrical conductivity (EC). Meanwhile, portions of Tshiombo, Tubatse, and Nkonkoni were marginally suitable (S3), limited by pH and EC. Portions on Glenrosa soil at Klaas Mothapo and Phomolong were not suitable (NS) and were limited by shallow depth, soil pH and EC. The results reveal the importance of considering soil suitability before establishing vegetable gardens in school settings. Indexing soil suitability using the physicochemical properties of soil resources for sustainable beetroot production is proposed for schools in the Kgakatlou circuit and other parts of SA.

In recent years, technical processes for the sequestration of CO2 through industrial waste mineral carbonation have been explored and developed. There is a large portfolio of Carbon Capture, Uti-lisation and Storage (CCUS) techniques that have been employed on a laboratory and at pilot scale. These include geological storage, ocean storage and mineralisation by carbonate ores. In view of this, the main purpose of this research was to investigate and explore chemical variables, particularly ammonium salts as lixiviants for calcium mineral extraction from iron making slag. The slag in use was acquired from a Steel Mill in the Vaal Triangle Region in Gauteng, South Af-rica. The experimental test work was conducted using different ammonium lixiviants, namely, NH4NO3, NH4Cl and CH3COONH4 to understand the influence of anion type as well as possible differences in mechanisms of interactions. Lixiviant concentration as well as the reaction time were varied in this research study. The three selected ammonium based lixiviants showed different extents of calcium extraction owing to differences in the anion groups. NH4NO3, NH4Cl and CH3COONH4 were found capable of dissolving 50% to 80% of calcium from the selected slag for different molar concentrations. Anion type and leaching time also had significant influences on the leaching of calcium from the slag. Rapid pH degradation resulted in better calcium extraction ca-pabilities. This work has shown that the selected ammonium salts have a potential as lixiviants for calcium dissolution from iron making blast furnace slags. These lixiviants would therefore be important to consider during calcium mineral carbonation for CO2 sequestration.

High temperature Ni-superalloys are limited by reliance on critical elements and complex processing steps. High entropy alloys (HEAs) have demonstrated stable single/dual phase microstructures with strong ordering tendencies. A dual phase (FCC+BCC) Al0.5Co0.5CrFeNi1.5Ti0.25 alloy (developed using CALPHAD) was tested for room and high temperature compression behavior. The microstructure mainly comprises of coarse ordered FCC(L12) surrounding decomposed lamellae of ordered FCC(L12) and BCC(L21) phases, which coarsened upon annealing at high temperature (1100 °C) into a bi-continuous structure of disordered FCC+BCC(B2). Additionally, cold rollability of the cast alloy increased from &lt;5% to ~40% after annealing, with a corresponding softening observed in room temperature compression mainly due to disordering of FCC and BCC phases. Peak flow stresses of 793.45MPa, 535.12MPa, and 324.40MPa were achieved at 800oC, 900oC, and 1000oC respectively for the high temperature annealed alloy.

Abstract: The study used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis for the genomic characterization of 60 isolates of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cattle farms, cattle abattoirs, and retail outlets in Gauteng province, South Africa. The isolates' sequence types (STs), clonal complexes (CCs), and lineages were determined using in silico multilocus sequence typing (MLST). We used BLAST-based analyses to identify virulence and antimicrobial genes, plasmids, proviruses, and the CRISPR-Cas system. The study investigated any association of the detected genes to the origin in the beef production chain of the L. monocytogenes isolates. Overall, in 60 isolates of Listeria monocytogenes, there were 7 STs, 6 CCs, 44 putative virulence factors, 2 resistance genes, 1 plasmid with AMR genes and 3 with conjugative genes, 1 CRISPR gene, and all 60 isolates were positive for proviruses. Among the 7 STs detected, ST204 (46.7%) and ST2 (21.7%) were the most prominent, with ST frequency varying significantly (p&lt;0.001). The predominant CC detected were CC2 (21.7%) and CC204 (46.7%) in lineages I and II, respectively. Of the 44 virulence factors detected, 26 (across Listeria Pathogenicity Islands, LIPIs) were present in all the isolates. The difference in the detection frequency varied significantly (P&lt;0.001). The two AMR genes (fosX and vga(G)) detected were present in all 60 (100%) isolates of L. monocytogenes. The only plasmid, NF033156, was present in 3 (5%) isolates. A CRISPR-Cas system was detected in 6 (10%), and all the isolates carried proviruses. Significant differences were detected in the frequencies of STs and virulence factors regarding the source and sample type of the L. monocytogenes isolates. The presence of both fosX and vga(G) genes in all the isolates from the three industries (cattle farms, abattoirs, and retail outlets) can potentially cause therapeutic implications. Our study, which characterized L. monocytogenes recovered from the three levels in the beef production chain in the country, provides the first evidence of the distribution of the pathogen with potential food safety and therapeutic implications.

This work focuses on short-term forecasting of PV output power. The multilayer perception (MLP), convolutional neural networks (CNN), and k-nearest neighbour (kNN) neural networks have been used singly or in a hybrid (with other algorithms) to forecast solar PV power or global solar irradiance with good success. Their performances in forecasting PV power have been compared with other algorithms but not with themselves. The study aims to compare performance of a number of neural network algorithms in solar PV energy yield forecasting under different weather conditions. The performance of MLPNN, CNN and kNN are being compared using solar PV (hourly) energy yield data for Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The choice of location is part of the study parameters to provide insight into renewable energy power integration in specific areas in south Africa that may be prone to extreme weather conditions. The kNN algorithm was found to have RMSE value of 4.95% and MAE value of 2.74% at its worst performance, and RMSE value of 1.49% and MAE value of 0.85% at its best performance. It outperformed the others by a good margin and kNN could serve as a fast, easy, and accurate tool to forecast solar PV output power.

Histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACi) have shown promising therapeutic outcomes in haematological malignancies such as leu-kaemia, multiple myeloma and lymphoma, with dis-appointing results in solid tumours when used as monotherapy. As a result, combination therapies either with radiation or other deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damaging agents have been suggested as ideal strategy to improve their efficacy in solid tumours. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that HDACi can sensitise malignant cells to both electromagnetic and particle types of radiation by inhibiting DNA damage repair. Although the radiosensitising ability of HDACi has been reported as early as 1990s, the mechanisms of radiosensitisation are yet to be fully understood. This review brings forth the various protocols used to sequence the administration of radiation and HDACi treatments in the different studies. The possible contribution of these various protocols on the ambiguity that surrounds the mechanisms of radiosensitisation is also highlighted.

Entropy is a concept derived from Physics that has been used to describe natural and social systems’ structure and behaviour. Applications of the concept in the social sciences so far have been largely limited to the disciplines of economics and sociology. In the current paper the concept of entropy is applied to organizational citizenship behaviour with implications for urban organizational sustainability. A heuristic is presented for analysing personal and organizational citizenship configurations and distributions within a given workforce that can lead to corporate entropy; and for allowing prescriptive remedial steps to be taken to manage the process should entropy from this source threaten its sustainability and survival.

Colorectal cancer (CRC), found in the intestinal tract, is initiated, and progresses through various mechanisms, including dysregulation of signalling pathways. Several signalling pathways, such as EGFR and MAPK, involved in cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, are often dysregulated in CRC. Although cannabidiol (CBD) has previously induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in vitro in CRC cell lines, its effects on signalling pathways have not yet been determined. An in silico analysis was used here to assess partner proteins that can bind to CBD and docking simulations were used to predict precisely where CBD would bind to these selected proteins. A survey of current literature was used to hypothesize the effect of CBD binding on such proteins. The results predict that CBD could interact with EGFR, RAS/RAF isoforms, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2. The predicted CBD-induced inhibition might be due to CBD binding to the ATP binding site of the target proteins. This prevents the required phosphoryl transfer to activate substrate proteins and/or CBD binding to the DFG motif, thus reducing catalytic activity.

Simulated (sim) racing is an emerging esport that has garnered much interest in recent years and has been a relatively under-researched field in terms of expertise and performance. When examining expertise, visual attention has been of particular interest to researchers, with eye tracking technology commonly used to assess visual attention. In this study, we examined the visual attention allocation of high and low skilled sim racers during a time trial task using Tobii 3 glasses. Participants were allocated to either group according to their fastest lap times. Our results indicate that when eye tracking metrics were normalised to lap time, there was no difference in the relative length of attention allocation (fixation behaviour), although lower skilled racers did have significantly greater fixation counts and durations across laps overall. Interestingly, high and low skilled sim racers differed in where they allocated their attention during the task, with high skilled sim racers allocating significantly less attention to the track relative to other areas of the display. This would allow higher skilled racers to obtain relatively more information from heads-up display elements in-game, all whilst driving at faster speeds. This study provides evidence that high and low skilled sim racers show similar lap time-corrected fixation behaviour, but how they allocate attention while driving differs.

Transition from basic to higher education is regarded as a ‘juggle of many balls’ because students ought to balance between theoretical and clinical requirements, including social life. As a result, a significant number of undergraduate first-year nursing students succumb to these challenges due to lack of coping mechanisms emanating from poor resilience. As a result, the aim of this study was to determine the factors that influence resilience among undergraduate first-year nursing students at a South African university. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive research design was followed. Data was collected using an adapted self-administered online questionnaire. Principal component analysis extraction method and Varimax rotation were used to analyse data. A total of 123 participants completed the questionnaire. The eigenvalues showed that the first factor explained 23.9% of the variance, the second factor 11.2%, a third factor 7.5% while the fourth factor explained 5.9% of the variance. The fifth until the eight factor had eigenvalues greater than 1 but less than 2. This study showed that resilience can be dependent on various factors such as lecture support, parental support, academic achievement, peer and mentor support, optimism about the future and being self-determined.

Six bacterial strains with differing abilities to produce varying concentrations of Indole Acetic Acid were tested individually and in consortia for plant growth promoting and fitness related traits of Cicer arietinum. In all experiments the presence of the nitrogen fixer Mesorhizobium ciceri resulted in increased biomass production. In the absence of this strain, IAA Psedomonas putida and Bacillus megaterium hinder plant growth and fitness related traits. The application of mixes of the three strains always resulted in better plant performance when M. ciceri was present. Whereas P. putida has a noticeable plant growth-promoting effect B. megaterium resulted less effective. The low levels of IAA produced by the selected strains had a significantly greater positive effect on plant biomass accumulation, flower, pods and seed production as well as on total plant nitrogen and nitrogen concentration in seed than high IAA producer strains.

Considering that cryptocurrencies are now present in practically every financial transaction because they are widely accepted as an alternate means of making payments and exchanging currencies, academics and economists have more opportunities to study cryptocurrency prices. Over the years, investors, traders and investment banks have found it difficult to predict the closing daily price of Ethereum due to its rapid price fluctuation. The daily closing price of cryptocurrency is essential to consider when trading or investing in Ethereum. This report focuses on carrying out a comparative study of the predictive capabilities of deep machine learning algorithms with a stacking ensemble modelling framework using daily historical observations of the price of Ethereum obtained from Coindesk, tweets extracted from Twitter ranging from the 1st of August 2022 to the 8th of August 2022 and other five covariates (closing price lag1, closing price lag2, noltrend, daytype and month) engineered from the closing price of Ethereum. Seven models are used to compute the forecasts for the daily closing price of Ethereum; these are the recurrent neural network, ensemble stacked recurrent neural network, gradient boosting machine, generalized linear model, distributed random forest, deep neural networks and stacked ensemble for gradient boosting machine, generalized linear model, distributed random forest and deep neural networks. The main evaluation metric used is the mean absolute error. According to MAE, RNN forecasts outperform the other model’s forecasts in this study, producing an MAE of 0.0309.

The electric vehicle (EV) industry is experiencing rapid growth, accompanied by continuous advancements in charging infrastructure to satisfy the rising need for fast and reliable charging. Particularly, the focus has shifted towards EV fast charging (EVFC) and its impact on the power grid. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and survey of scholarly literature and projects conducted in this field over the past decade. The findings highlight the rising demand for EVFC and the need to address its potential adverse effects on the power grid. However, there is a noticeable lack of clear research guidance regarding charging time. To tackle these challenges and pave the way for future solutions, extensive research on DC fast charging, ultra-fast charging, and the integration of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems is required. This review paper thoroughly investigates the development of fast charging technology for electric vehicles (EVs), including its advantages and comparative analyses from various perspectives. Furthermore, it delves into the advancements in DC fast charging infrastructure, emphasizing charging standards and control modes. The study also investigates different categories of battery chargers for both on-board and off-board charging. Additionally, it explores the classification of DC-DC converters in the context of DC fast charging stations, discusses control strategies for EV systems, identifies existing challenges, and outlines future trends in EV fast charging.

The aim of this article is three-fold: firstly, it is to highlight how the different Bantustans with the focus to Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, and Ciskei also know as the (TBVC) States secured extra territories. However, these Bantustans remained unrecognized in the international community because of their financial dependence to the apartheid regime. Secondly, the successes and failures of this process are fundamental in understanding the territorial monopolies of the Bantustans and thirdly we will interrogate how the Bantustan residents who were against the process mobilized other residents to reject the proposal and attempts of territorial expansion. Furthermore, this article contributes to the broader Bantustan’s historiography on the intended economic spin-offs with these endeavors. We contend that the above have received little scholarly attention. The methodology of this article draws from an historical approach and utilizes a range of different archival documentary sources, most importantly material housed in South Africa’s national archives and British Commonwealth archives. In conclusion, we argue in this article that these developments of territorial expansion had little benefits for the Bantustans and the extended territories adjacent to them.

The study assessed the risk perception, attitude, and management tools of 260 randomly selected farmers and processors in the rice value chain using data elicited via a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Equally Likely Certainty Equivalent (ELCE) technique, Binary logistic regression, and a 5-point Likert scale were employed in the data analyses. Descriptive statistics show that the respondents are young, active, and in their productive age with an intermediate education level. Majority of the farmers and processors were risk averse. Risk aversion was common among farmers and processors. Farmers' risk attitudes and perceptions of risk are significantly influenced by a number of factors, including age, access to extension services, farm size, marital status, household size, education, income, training, and experience. Majority of rice farmers consider price risk as the most important risk while majority of processors perceive production risk as the most important risk. Pests and diseases, price fluctuation, drought, and lack of input were the most important source of risk to farmers, while processors perceived price fluctuation, technology adoption, and poor storage facilities as the most important source of risk. Off-farm investment, spraying for pests and diseases, cash contribution, market information, and cooperative were the important risk mitigating management strategies employed by the farmers/processors. The study suggests improvements in the identified risk sources, which could influence the attitude and perception of the farmers and processors.

The concept of a Social License to Operate (SLO) has become increasingly important in the sustainability literature in recent years. Having its origins in the business discourse of the mining industry with respect to limiting opposition to mining projects, the notion of a social contract above and beyond legal requirements has since become applied across a number of different industries. Despite the concepts adoption confusion exists over the practices and outcomes of SLO, and particularly the nature of engagement. Given this situation it is surprising that not more attention to the role of marketing, and social marketing in particular, in operationalizing the concept. The paper discusses the potential of social marketing to contribute to SLO. Economic, political and social relations are complex in SLO and exchange is intricate in such relational environments. A community-based social marketing orientation is proposed as a means to improve exchange relations and enhance engagement. Seven models of SLO related social marketing models are discussed with community-based social marketing and adaptive co-marketing models being regarded as the most positive for the achievement of an SLO. Potential barriers to adoption of these approaches are noted.

Background: The study aimed to investigate the association between environmental tobacco smoke exposure and the risk of wheezing among rural and urban preschool children in Mpumalanga province, South Africa, an area associated with poor air quality. Methods: In this study, parents/caregivers of preschool children (n=3145) completed a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Data were analysed using multiple logistic regression models. Results: The overall prevalence of Wheeze ever was 15.14%, with a higher prevalence in urban pre-schoolers than rural pre-schoolers (20.71% vs 13.30 %, P<0.000). Moreover, the total prevalence of asthma ever was 2.34%. The prevalence was greater in urban pre-schoolers than in rural pre-schoolers (3.92% vs 1.81%, P<0.001). In the final adjusted model, both urban and rural area children who lived with one or more people who smoked in the same household (WE: OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.11-1.86) (CW: OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.38-3.16) and (AE: OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.12-5.54) were found to have an increased likelihood of having Wheeze Ever, Current Wheeze and Asthma Ever as compared to those who lived with non-smokers. Conclusions: The implementation of smoking limits and prohibition is crucial in areas that are frequented or utilized by children. Hence, it is imperative for healthcare providers to actively champion the rights of those who do not smoke within the society, while also endorsing legislative measures aimed at curtailing the extent of tobacco smoke exposure.

South Africa is afflicted with the worst epidemic of HIV in the world a legacy of the system of oscillating migrant labour in the region and the consequent social disruption that was the legacy of Apartheid. The initial response from the national government was slow and ineffective but once the magnitude of the epidemic became apparent the government began to respond. The investment in HIV- and TB-related activities in 2013 was R22 Bn or (US$2.5; 2013 exchange rate) of which the South Africa government contributed 80% and the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) 17%. South Africa now has the more people on anti-retroviral therapy than any other country and treatment is being started much sooner after infection. Much of the best biomedical, virological, immunological, mathematical and social science around the treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS and the associated epidemic of TB has been done by South African’s and their international collaborators. If the efforts to control the epidemic are maintained South Africa is on track to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90target by 2020 and to End AIDS by 2030 in spite of the magnitude of the problem. While individual, patient level data are increasingly available, especially in the Western Cape, much greater efforts need to be made to ensure that the information collected in this way is used to give feedback and support to clinic staff, to ensure that health clinics are providing the best possible service, and to individual patients and people living with HIV to ensure that they are receiving the best possible care and support. South Africa needs to make better use of the rich and detailed data that are being collected from individual clinics and their patients to identify problems or difficulties at the clinic level and to ensure that individual patients are retained on treatment, are virally suppressed and receive the best possible care and support.

Abstract: Little is known about landbird group dynamics in response to predation. Here, we describe the interactions between the Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) and its predators regarding the survival advantages grouping behaviour may provide. Livestream webcam observations were conducted in Madikwe Game Reserve (South Africa) from August 2020 to December 2021. Emphasis was placed on predator–prey interaction and its effect on group size and structure in a spatial framework. Although Black-Backed Jackals (Lupulella mesomelas) are not adept at hunting birds, they might negatively impact guineafowl by curtailing their feeding time during winter with constant harassment. We found that these canids often approach larger and denser groups in the morning and late evenings. Surprisingly, guineafowl most often responded by standing nearby. On the contrary, a higher predator-induced response was associated with the presence of predatory birds, arguably as part of an evolutionary stable prey-predator system. This line of thought is also supported by the lack of a precise defensive mechanism elicited by jackal attacks, unlike those of aerial predators. Nevertheless, we contend that grouping in Helmeted Guineafowl is a defensive strategy to respond to predator attacks while individuals engage in daily activities.

The Qiushuwan Cu-Mo deposit, located in the East Qinling molybdenum belt, which is a major mining site recognized for its enormous reserves of medium-sized molybdenum. In order to enhance our comprehension and ascertain supplementary mineral resources, it is critical to conduct an in-depth investigation of both the deep and peripheral regions. The primary goal of this study is to investigate the Qiushuwan Copper Molybdenum Mine, which is located in Zhenping County, Henan Province. The spread spectrum-induced polarization (SSIP) method is utilized as a means of conducting mining exploratory analysis. Significant findings have been obtained through the collection of SSIP data, geological analysis, and electrical parameter study of rock and ore samples along profile-80. By conducting a meticulous examination of the SSIP data at suitable frequencies, two prominent conductive ore bodies, specifically C2 and C4, have been successfully discovered. C2 exhibits a correlation with granite porphyry and molybdenum veins, while C4 is linked to a skarn deposit that contains a concentration of copper ore. The spatial differences in conductivity within the research area have been precisely characterized using resistivity models obtained from the SSIP data. The precision and dependability of our conclusions have been confirmed through the integration of borehole data and the matching of geological sections with inversion models. The recovered core samples show a diverse range of minerals, containing both valuable ores and minerals that have undergone alteration. Pyrite constantly appears with molybdenite in the majority of samples. The aforementioned results provide a strong foundation for future exploration initiatives and sustainable resource exploitation, enabling informed decision-making in the effective use and administration of natural resources. This study adds to the existing body of knowledge on the Qiushuwan Cu-Mo deposit and improves exploration methods in the region by utilizing the SSIP approach. The findings are a useful asset for geologists, mining experts, and stakeholders, offering essential knowledge for future exploration and sustainable utilization of resources.

Models of subsurface structures are important for successful deposit exploration but are challenged by the need to integrate data from different geophysical methods. In the present study, we evaluated a method of joint inversion in which audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) and dual frequency induced polarization (DFIP) data sets are inverted simultaneously to produce a consistent 2D resistivity model to show a clear image of subsurface structures. To achieve the objectives, we conducted AMT and DFIP surveys first on the same survey line within the Dongjun lead-zinc deposit in inner Mongolia by developing 31 AMT survey sites with an interstation separation of 40 m on a 1440 m survey track and operated in fifty-three frequencies in the range 1–10,400 Hz to record the resistivity distribution of subsurface to depths exceeding 800 m. The same survey setup up was applied to the DFIP method by utilizing the SQ-3C model with a pole-dipole array configuration and conducted measurements at frequencies of 4 Hz and 4/13 Hz. We first separately inverted AMT and DFIP measurements. The two-dimensional (2D) model obtained from AMT data revealed distinct low resistivity anomalies in the middle of the 2D inversion model. In contrast, the DFIP inversion model showed a high resistive body in the same region. In response to the discrepancies observed in the separate 2D inversion models, we implemented a joint inversion for both the AMT and DFIP datasets. The joint inversion resistivity model shows surficial conducting bodies and a high conductive body along the profile with relatively high Percent Frequency Effect (PEF) indicating high chargeability. The final joint inversion resistivity model clearly images the large silica alteration zone and the Pb-Zn mineralization. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a joint inversion methodology and highlights the value of integrating geophysical methods through joint inversion for enhanced characterization and exploration of lead-zinc ores.

The African continent has the highest prevalence of hypertension globally, with South Africa reporting the highest prevalence in Southern Africa. While the influence of genetic variability in the pathogenesis of hypertension is well described internationally, limited reports are available for African populations. This study aimed to assess the association of genetic variants and essential hypertension in a cohort of two ethnic South African population groups. Two hundred and seventy-seven hypertensive and one hundred and seventy-six normotensive individuals were genotyped for 79 variants. Genotyping was performed using the Illumina GoldenGate Assay and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. The association of variants was assessed using the Fisher Exact test under the additive and allelic genetic models, while multivariate logistic regression was used to predict the development of hypertension. Five variants (CYP11B2 rs179998, AGT rs5051 and rs699, AGTR1 rs5186 and ACE rs4646994) were significantly associated with essential hypertension in the cohort under study. Furthermore, AGTR1 rs5186 and AGT rs699 were identified as risk factors for the development of hypertension in both ethnic groups. In two ethnic South African populations an association was observed between Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) related genes and the development of hypertension.

Due to its large hole mobility, Organic Rubrene (C42H28) has attracted research questions on its applications in electronic devices. In this work, extensive first-principles calculations were made to predict some temperature and doping dependent properties of Organic Semi- conductor Rubrene. We use Density Functional Theory (DFT) to investigate the electronic structure, elastic and transport properties of the Orthorhombic phase of the Rubrene compound. The calcu- lated band structure shows the Orthorhombic phase has a direct bandgap of 1.26 eV. From the Vickers hardness (1.080 GPa), our calculations show that Orthorhombic Rubrene is not a super hard material and can find useful application as a flexible semicon- ductor. The calculated transport Inverse Effective Mass and Elec- tronic Fitness Function show that the Orthorhombic Rubrene Crystal Structure is a p-type thermoelectric material at high temperatures.

The growing expansion of the economy and population has resulted in an increased inclination towards the utilization of groundwater resources. Conducting a geophysical survey is a widely employed method for subsurface mapping and the detection of groundwater. A geophysical study was conducted in Nanshan township, Huarong County, located in the Hunan province of the South-Central region of China. The investigation involved the utilization of a 2D Electrical Resistivity Imaging technique employing forward and inverse pole-dipole electrode array. A total of six survey lines were established, each with an electrode distance from the nearest measuring point to exceeding 800 m. The maximum current electrode separation was utilized in this setup. The spacing between the electrical resistivity sounding points was established at regular intervals. The findings from the exploration indicate the existence of multiple faults within the surveyed region. The study additionally identified two regions of structural failure, which occurred due to the convergence of faults oriented in different directions. This convergence led to the fracturing of rocks, an increase in water content, and a decrease in resistivity. The findings from the exploration were utilized in the formulation of five verification target boreholes. The results of this study offer significant insights that can inform future investigations into groundwater exploration endeavors within the region.

Unprecedented in scale, immense COVID-19 immunization programmes have been rolled out globally. This article explores aspects of hypothetical vaccine acceptability in Soweto, South Africa, shortly before such vaccines became available. Whereas hypothetical acceptance was normative, this has not translated into uptake today, which remains concerningly low in South Africa, especially in Soweto. For that reason, we mobilise anthropological concepts to analyse acceptance, hesitancy, and denial, respectively, to gauge and understand public proclivity to inoculate. We find that COVID-19’s haphazard mediatization generated a ‘field of suspicion’ towards authorities and vaccination, which, amplified by dis- and misinformation, fostered othering, hesitancy, and denial considerably. It remains paramount during vaccination rollouts to unveil and address aspects detrimental to vaccine confidence and selectivity, especially in lower-income groups for underlying, context-specific cultural, spiritual, historical, and socioeconomic reasons. Appropriate mediazation alongside a debunking of counterfactual claims is crucial in driving forward immunization.

Growing concerns about the greenhouse effect, global warming, and adverse climate changes primarily stemming from carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in traditional Portland cement (OPC) used in civil engineering construction, have prompted a shift toward eco-friendly alternatives like geopolymer cement (GPC). Over the last few decades, significant advancements have been made in developing environmentally sustainable pavement construction materials such as GPC to mitigate global CO2 emissions. The success of geopolymer cement (GPC) as an eco-friendly alternative to OPC has garnered attention for its potential to lower carbon emissions and enhance durability. This is attributed to the sustainable production method of GPC, where industrial cementitious waste materials (such as fly ash (FA), metakaolin (MK), mine tailings (MT), slag, etc.) are combined with an eco-friendly alkaline activator and water through the geopolymerization process. Numerous studies on geopolymer concrete indicate that, like OPC, GPC exhibits comparable mechanical properties, including strength, fire resistance, chemical resistance, and durability. This review explores the properties and applications of GPC as a sustainable material in pavement construction, exploring key studies and advancements in geopolymer technology, particularly its suitability for pavement applications. The assessment covers the mechanical properties, long-term performance, and environmental impact of geopolymer-based pavements, providing a comprehensive overview to inform policymakers, engineers, and researchers about the viability of geopolymer-based materials as a sustainable solution for modern pavement construction.

Commercial crocodilian farms face significant economic and livestock losses attributed to stress, which may be linked to their adopted husbandry practices. The development of appropriate and modernized husbandry guidelines, particularly those focused on stress mitigation, is impeded by the limited understanding of the crocodilian stress response. Fifteen grower Nile crocodiles were subjected to simulated acute transport stress, with blood samples collected at various intervals post-stress. Plasma levels of corticosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), adrenaline, and noradrenaline were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Glucose and lactate were measured using portable meters, and the heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HLR) was determined via differential leucocyte counts. Significant differences were elicited after the stressor, with acute fluctuations observed in the fast-acting catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline) when compared to baseline. Downstream effects of these catecholamines and corticosterone appear to be associated with a persistent increase in plasma glucose and HLR. Lactate also showed acute fluctuations over time but returned to baseline by the final measurement. DHEA, used as a ratio with corticosterone, showed fluctuations over time with an inverted release pattern to the catecholamines. The study highlights the temporal dynamics of physiological markers under acute stress, contributing to understanding crocodilian stress and potentially informing improved farming practices for conservation and sustainable management.

The aquifer delineation using a hydrogeophysical survey was carried out in De Aar, a small town in the eastern part of the Karoo supergroup, Northern Cape, South Africa. In this re-gion, the current approach for estimating recharge, water allocation plans, and water monitoring does not consider the existence of different types of aquifers. Instead, it assumes there is one aquifer system and therefore the area might have one value of recharge. This study aimed to delineate aquifers into unconfined and confined aquifers for estimating recharge and demonstrate the use of geophysics techniques in delineating aquifer systems. Six VES stations and seven profile lines were measured using a Wenner array configuration and ground magnetotelluric method, respectively. VES data was processed using IPI2win software while electric potential difference curve was in-terpreted together with lithological data. Four significant layers of low (0.9-8.1 Ωm), moderate (22.4-125 Ωm), and high 68-177 Ωm) resistivity values were delineated suggestive of the different lithological formations. The subsurface profile mapping using ground magentotelluric methods did not suggest groundwater accumulations below 50 m, instead supported shallow groundwater potentials boreholes. These results have provided a double layer aquifer system thereby suggesting that recharge estimation need to be carried out in two different aquifer systems to enhance water allocation plans, and water monitoring in groundwater-dependent areas similar to prevailing conditions in the current study area.

In the case of a Cu-Mo-W polymetallic ore, the wastewater from the scheelite cleaning flowsheet contains large amounts of residual flocculants and metal ions, and the separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite require a large number of environmentally harmful depressants. Therefore, it is necessary to find new methods to reduce the environmental and cost pressures of wastewater treatment and the use of depressants. In this work, the flotation wastewater from scheelite cleaning flowsheet for the separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite by selective surface passivation was investigated for the first time. Flotations of single minerals and artificially mixed minerals with or without immersion pretreatment in the presence and absence of aeration were performed. The results showed that pulp pH had no effect on the flotation of either mineral, and a molybdenite recovery of 93.22% with chalcopyrite recovery of 10.77% was achieved under the conditions of 10 days of immersion pretreatment with aeration, 350 mg/L of kerosene, and 100 mg/L of MIBC. By combining the electrochemical cyclic voltammetry analysis and characterization by XRD and SEM, the selective surface passivation mechanism of chalcopyrite was discussed, which could be due to the coverage of the insoluble oxidation products, especially jarosite. This work has simultaneously achieved the depressant-free flotation separation of molybdenite and chalcopyrite and the reuse of scheelite flotation wastewater, which is of great significance for environmental protection and cost saving.

Entrepreneurship education in South Africa holds significant promise in empowering the youth and fostering economic growth. This article explores the impact of entrepreneurship education on youth empowerment, focusing on case studies of successful young entrepreneurs, evaluation of entrepreneurial skills development, and analysis of employment and economic outcomes. While effective models of entrepreneurship education emphasize experiential learning and collaboration with local businesses, resource constraints and infrastructure gaps pose challenges. Moreover, socio-cultural perceptions and gender disparities influence youth's willingness to engage in entrepreneurship, hindering inclusivity. Evaluating the long-term impact remains challenging, requiring robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The article concludes with recommendations to enhance the impact of entrepreneurship education, including increasing funding, challenging stereotypes, fostering collaboration, and developing evaluation mechanisms to support South Africa's youth in realizing their entrepreneurial potential.

Disasters such as the 2015-2018 drought in South Africa usually negatively impact agricultural water, especially in smallholder farming systems. This study assessed the availability of irrigation water, performance of irrigation infrastructure, and water governance systems in Genadendal, Western Cape, with a focus on smallholder farmers. Data for streamflow, dam levels, and rainfall were acquired from water institutions and analysed using Microsoft Excel. The performance of the infrastructure and water governance were assessed based on the perceptions of smallholder farmers and key informants. A questionnaire was administered to eight smallholder farmers, followed by a focus group discussion with 15 smallholder farmers. Interviews were conducted with eight key informants who worked in water-related institutions. Qualitative data from the interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis. The study showed adequate agricultural water resources during the 2015-2018 drought period for the smallholder farmers who relied on water from dams. However, smallholder farmers who relied on the Riviersonderend River experienced severe water shortages during the same period. The findings also showed that there was poor performance of irrigation water infrastructure due to inadequate maintenance. Lack of coordination among institutions, insufficient funding, political interference, fragmentation of roles and responsibilities, lack of human resources, and farmers’ lack of participation and commitment in water resources management contributed to the dysfunctionality of irrigation water governance systems, leading to water insecurity. This study recommends adequate funding for the operation and maintenance of infrastructure. Furthermore, water institutions need to support smallholder farmers with training skills in agricultural water management and infrastructure maintenance. Further studies are recommended to quantify the water lost due to the poor performance of water infrastructure and to develop effective water governance in Genadendal.

On return to campus after the pandemic, students were subjected to receiving lectures online, in class, or by the emerging hybrid approach. This study reports students' preference over the three approaches based on the experience gained during the 2022/23 academic session. One hundred and twenty-seven (127) on-campus Education students in one public university in Malaysia participated in the study. Data was collected through an online forum and interviews with the participants. The data collected was analyzed using content and thematic analysis. Preference for the hybrid approach emerged as a finding with three themes describing what makes the wholly online class unpopular (themes one and two); and, the popularity of the hybrid approach (theme three): 1. On-campus learner-environment challenges; 2. Perceived lack of Faculty engagement and support in the online learning environment; and, 3. Student engagement through faculty presence and technology innovation. What the students valued most in the hybrid approach is the face-to-face technology-enhanced classroom interaction that is retained, believing that learning is more effective and interesting in class than online. They considered the additional online learning activities as complementing the classroom learning. The approach provides an opportunity for fundamental learning in class and supplementary learning online. These findings imply that institutions should prioritize technology integration into face-to-face instruction, leveraging innovative approaches to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Lecturers should consider adopting hybrid teaching models that combine the benefits of in-person interaction with the flexibility of online learning, catering to diverse student preferences and optimizing the educational experience.

On February 28, 2023, the Facebook page of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) South Africa, announced the beginning of the HPV vaccination campaign for 2023. The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of Facebook users, who commented on the UNICEF South Africa post, towards HPV vaccination to inform the development and implementation of interventions that can increase HPV vaccine acceptance and uptake. Several comments were questions regarding the eligible criteria for vaccination, side effects, consent form, and vaccination strategies. Many Facebook users were hesitant towards HPV vaccination due to various reasons including concerns around side effects, religious beliefs, vaccine stock outs, and their distrust in the institutions or systems involved in vaccination programmes. Few users accepted HPV vaccination because they believed that it was very important thing to do, beneficial for the children’s health, and they have vaccinated they children before. Our findings of the current study contribute to the promotion of acceptance and uptake of HPV vaccination by developing and implementing interventions tailored to address identified barriers that are associated with hesitant to HPV vaccination.

There is a growing demand and use of herbal cosmetics for skin purposes due to their perceived safety when applied to the skin. Three Cassipourea species commonly known as “ummemezi” are used interchangeable by women in rural areas of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces to treat hypermelanosis as well as sun protection. We conducted a phytochemical comparison of three Cassipourea species; C. flanaganii, C. gummiflua and C. malosana by LC-MS/MS analysis in negative mode. The results obtained from the LC-MS/MS yielded a total number of twenty-four compounds of different chemical classes, including fatty acids, steroids, di- and tri-terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids were detected, and eighteen among them were tentatively identified. Despite the recent popularity of modern cosmetic products, it is clear that plants continue to play an important role in the local cosmetics industry in South Africa's Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal community provinces. The findings of this study suggest that an alternative treatment for hyper-melanosis disorders should be developed further. The residual wild plant stocks are insufficient to meet commercial needs, thus, encouraging their sustainable use is a means of harnessing the conservation of these plants. Indigenous communities should be supported in the commercialization which could be linked to the rural economic development.

To contain and mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, African governments have implemented non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), such as imposing travel bans, confining people to their homes and closing schools, shops and workplaces. These NPIs are likely to be less effective in circumstances where people need to leave their homes to work, collect food, water and cooking fuel or where people cannot maintain distancing due to overcrowded living environments. Using data from the nationally representative South African General Household Survey 2019, we examined individuals’ vulnerability to the risk of COVID-19 infection due to their health, socioeconomic and living circumstances. We explored socioeconomic-related inequalities in COVID-19 using concentration curve and concentration index methods. Our results showed that vulnerability to COVID-19 was disproportionately concentrated among those with low socioeconomic status. Using the Recentered Influence Function decomposition approach, we found that higher income and education had a significant and positive impact on reducing socioeconomic-related COVID-19 vulnerability. Conversely, people with lower socioeconomic status were more likely to live in circumstances that made compliance with NPI requirements almost impossible, and they were also more likely to have pre-existing health conditions that made them more vulnerable to COVID-19.

The virus SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in numerous modelling approaches arising rapidly to understand the spread of the disease COVID-19 and to plan for future interventions. Herein, we present an SEIR model with a spatial spread component as well as four infectious compartments to account for the variety of symptom levels and transmission rate. The model takes into account the pattern of spatial vulnerability in South Africa through a vulnerability index that is based on socioeconomic and health susceptibility characteristics. Another spatially relevant factor in this context is level of mobility throughout. The thesis of this study is that without the contextual spatial spread modelling, the heterogeneity in COVID-19 prevalence in the South African setting would not be captured. The model is illustrated on South African COVID-19 case counts and hospitalisations.

Nowadays one of the issues interesting for researchers of political, social, and economic sciences is to investigate immigration from different angles. Accordingly, they use a diverse range of instruments, different types of graphs, descriptive indices and complex mathematical models. Immigration has always been one of the paths helping humans in their own efforts for getting compatible with the environment and coping with difficulties. Nevertheless, if this issue has been considered as an instrument regulating resources and species automatically, in the present era, its negative aspects have been evident and socioeconomic consequences of immigration in the framework of development economy and security has attracted scholars’ attentions. One of the countries attracting for immigrants particularly in the continent of Africa is South Africa. Statistics indicates that this country is the most attractive one for refugees. Somalis are one of the most important and largest groups seeking refuge in South Africa because they are usually merchants who earn money in the poor places. However, business in the poor places endangers their lives and properties because of high rate of crimes and xenophobia. As a result, the target countries face a lot of socioeconomic and security problems. The present study tries to investigate the issue of Somali immigration using network models.

This paper contributes to the understating of tornadoes in South Africa using case study analysis. In South Africa tornadoes are the recurring phenomenon (the climatology) but so far they have received less attention. Damages from storms itself (tornadoes inclusive) are significant in South Africa relative to other weather-related disasters for example floods, heat waves, and droughts. For their understanding, a case study approach was adopted in the current study. Data were in courtesy of the following, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Centers for Environmental Predictions (NCEP), Eumetsat Germany, and South African Weather Service (SAWS). The aim of the study was to provide an overview of the occurrence of tornadoes in South Africa using a Klerksdorp tornado, which occurred on March 4, 2007, Northwest Province in South Africa. From the case study analysis, the tornado was associated with the cold front and cut-off low (both are extratropical circulation) which were the dominant weather systems of the day. Therefore we conclude that, a case study approach may be the best way to study events of these nature for a more informed decision, for example, issuing an early warning system. In future, case studies, for example, involving interaction between extratropical and tropical circulation will also be an interesting study.

Safety and health issues are growing concerns in the agricultural sector among farm-workers in South Africa. The current health pandemic arising from the corona virus has thrown these issues into the spotlight, and this study explored the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of using personal protective materials among farm-workers in the banana sector. Using a case study of 10 large farms in the lower south coast of South Africa, we utilized descriptive and inferential analysis to identify the demographic composition of farm-workers in the study area, examine their perception of specific personal protective materials, and determine the relationship between demographic characteristics and perception of personal protective materials. Farm-workers in the study area were found to be predominantly single black males aged between 36-55years, with no more than a primary education, with work experience of between 6-10 years and employed as unskilled farm-labourers. Perceived usefulness (83%) and perceived ease of use (79%) for personal protective materials was high. Respondents gender (p=0.012), marital status (p=0.029), level of education (p=0.035) and farm-work experience (p=0.008) were significant, while their age (p=0.057), population group (p=0.160) and work classification (p=0.203) were not found significant in determining perceived usefulness or perceived ease of use. Our study makes valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge regarding farm-worker safety issues by exploring perception of personal protective materials.

The increase in the frequency of droughts in Africa has increased the interest in crops with drought escape mechanisms like grain Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus). However, the white-seeded grain Amaranth is easily cross-pollinated by its black seeded wild relatives such as smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus). A study to investigate a minimum isolation distance enough to prevent seed contamination study was carried out at three sites namely Gweru and Bindura (2020/2021 rainy season) and Shamva (2021/2022 rainy season). Smooth pigweed was planted at distances of 3 to 150 m from pure grain Amaranth. Close monitoring of phenology and measurement of meteorological conditions such as temperature, wind speed and direction were done during the anthesis period. Cross-pollination in grain Amaranth was influenced by distance from the pollen source. A maximum of 12.9 % contamination rate was measured within the 10 m radius from the pollen donor plot and a minimum outcrossing rate of 0.45 % was recorded at the widest distance of 150 m. It can be concluded that complete removal of wild relatives of grain Amaranth is important within the field at as far as 150 m from the crop.

Chinese texts often feature a substantial volume of normative content, and their analysis has increasingly become a focal point in recent semantic analysis endeavors. Enhancing the effectiveness of text classification and clustering is pivotal in unveiling the intricate semantics within extensive textual data. Empirical research within the realm of computational social science has underscored the need for improved explanatory power when it comes to general text clustering methods applied to normative texts. This study introduces an innovative hierarchical clustering method that incorporates part-of-speech (POS) features and pioneers a novel semantic network model. It achieves this by amalgamating a POS-based feature weight calculation method with hierarchical clustering techniques. To assess its efficacy, the method is rigorously evaluated across three diverse text datasets, encompassing normative reports, news articles, and social media content. The experimental results unequivocally demonstrate the superior performance of the POS-HC method, surpassing the traditional TF and TF-IDF feature extraction methods in terms of clustering accuracy, and surpassing some existing clustering methods. Furthermore, its classification effectiveness exhibits notable advantages, particularly in the semantic classification of normative texts.

Application of aquifer delineation using hydro-geophysical techniques was conducted in De Aar, the eastern part of the Karoo region, Northern, South Africa. This study is aimed at demonstrating the use of hydrogeophycal techniques in delineating aquifer systems into unconfined and confined to estimate areas and zones likely to control ground-water recharge. An integrated hydrogeophysical approach using vertical electrical resistivity sounding (VES) and ground telluric methods was applied to delineate subsurface structures. Six VES surveys and seven profile surveys were measured using a Wenner array configuration and ground telluric method respectively. VES data was processed using IPI2win software and used to produce a 2D inference of the subsurface electrical resistivity model. The telluric passive surveys were processed through an automated in-built algorithm to generate 2D profile maps while the electric potential difference curve was interpreted with the lithological cross section constructed 2D conceptual model. The VES results showed four significant layers of low (0.9-8.1 Ωm), moderate (22.4-125 Ωm), and high 68-177 Ωm) electrical resistivity values which are suggestive of the different lithological formations. Additionally, the subsurface model from ground telluric methods supported shallow groundwater potential boreholes with the inference of fewer groundwater accumulations below 50 m. These hydrogeophysics results were compared to the drill chip lithological results and both suggested a double-layer aquifer system, which may therefore suggest that recharge estimation needs to be carried out in two different aquifers. The study therefore successfully demonstrated the use of geophysics techniques in delineating aquifer systems, thereby enhancing the identification of potential recharge areas.

This study aimed to explore the sociocultural determinants of family planning (FP) utilization among women in pastoralist areas of Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 682 re-productive aged women selected from three regions in pastoralist districts. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with women who did not use FP. This study revealed that 47% of women did not use FP. Women who did not use FP were more likely to shorter spaces between births, lack of partners’ support, when only a husband or someone else decides on large household purchases, and low use of household expenditure were some of the factors associated with not using FP. Overall, the prevalence of not using FP is significantly high in pastoralist communities of Ethiopia. The authors recommend that investment in women’s health and FP be targeted at educational campaigns to raise awareness about FP and its importance. Engaging men and community leaders, promoting their support for FP and contraceptive use, and providing financial assistance to address financial barriers such as transportation costs and healthcare fees, are important aspects that can increase the utilization of FP methods.

This paper examines patterns and drivers of energy choices for cooking and lighting in South Africa using the Statistics South African (StatSA, 2022) Census data at district municipality (districts) levels. Employing spatial and regression analysis, the findings show that electricity is the main source of energy for cooking across South Africa. However, there is a large swathe of the country covering districts, such as Vhembe and Mopani in Limpopo, eastern Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and northern Eastern Cape provinces, where wood is the predominantly used energy type for cooking. There is almost uniform use of gas for cooking across the country. Electricity is the main energy source for lighting in South Africa. It is followed by candles, likely explained by loadshedding, and surprisingly solar energy a distant third. In terms of drivers, dwelling types play statistically significant role in what energy type to use for cooking and lighting, albeit differently. In terms of lighting, formal dwelling is positively related to the choice of electricity and informal dwelling is related to the choice of electricity (negatively) and candles (positively) for lighting. The level of higher education, household size, and the dependency ratio have varied statistically significant roles in the choice of either energy type for cooking or lighting by formal, informal, and traditional dwellers. Relevant policy prescriptions that are needed to engender the country towards sustainable energy use, diversification of energy types from electricity to other renewable energy sources, such as solar, and reduction in over-dependency on the biomass energy sources, such as paraffin and wood, especially in rural and poor districts, are proposed.

This study assessed vaccination coverage and associated factors among children aged 12-23 months in the pastoralist Ethiopia. It was conducted in three woredas of the Afar region using a community-based cross-sectional mixed methods design with quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 413 mothers with children aged 12-23 months participated in the quantitative study via a simple random sampling technique. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with vaccination, and thematic analysis techniques were used for qualitative data. The percentage of patients who received full vaccination was 25%. Based on vaccination card observations, the dropout rate from Pentavalent-1 to Pentavalent-3 was found to be 2.9%. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between mothers and caretakers with formal education, those who owned mobile phones, had antenatal care (ANC) visits and birthed at a health faciltiy with full vacination. The overall proportion of full immunization is lower than the target set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The findings suggest that programs and policy makers should prioritize improving access and enrolment of women and caretakers, promoting mobile phone ownership, and encouraging ANC visits, and promotion of health facility deliveries, as these are are associated with higher rates of immunization

Angiogenesis is a critical physiological response to ischemia but becomes pathological when dysregulated and driven excessively by inflammation. We recently identified a novel angiogenic role for tripartite-motif-containing protein 2 (TRIM2) whereby lentiviral shRNA-mediated TRIM2 knockdown impaired endothelial angiogenic functions in vitro. This study sought to determine whether these effects could be translated in vivo and to determine the molecular mechanisms involved. CRISPR/Cas9-generated Trim2–/– mice that underwent a periarterial collar model of inflammation-induced angiogenesis exhibited significantly less adventitial macrophage infiltration relative to wildtype (WT) littermates, concomitant with decreased mRNA expression of macrophage marker Cd68 and reduced adventitial proliferating neovessels. Mechanistically, TRIM2 knockdown in endothelial cells in vitro attenuated inflammation-driven induction of critical angiogenic mediators, including nuclear HIF-1α, and curbed the phosphorylation of downstream effector eNOS. Conversely, in a hindlimb ischemia model of hypoxia-mediated angiogenesis, there were no differences in blood flow reperfusion to the ischemic hindlimbs of Trim2–/– and WT mice despite a decrease in proliferating neovessels and arterioles. TRIM2 knockdown in vitro attenuated hypoxia-driven induction of nuclear HIF-1α but had no further downstream effects on other angiogenic proteins. Our study has implications for understanding the role of TRIM2 in the regulation of angiogenesis in both pathophysiological contexts.

CD4 count recovery is the main goal for an HIV patient who initiated ART. Some patients respond positively to ART and attain CD4 count recovery, some patients might fail to recover their CD4 count due to non-adherence, treatment resistance, and virological failure, leading to HIV-related complications and death. The purpose of this study is to find the determinants of death in patients who failed to recover their CD4 count after initiating antiretroviral therapy. The data used in this study was obtained from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, where 2528 HIV-infected patients with a baseline CD4 count of 200 cells/ were initiated on ART. We used a Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard and cumulative incidence function to estimate potential confounding factors of death, where CD4 count recovery was a competing event for failure due to death. Patients who were not suffering from tuberculosis were 1.33 times at risk of dying before attaining CD4 count recovery [aSHR 1.33; 95% CI (0.96-1.85] compared to those who had no tuberculosis. Rural patients had a higher risk of not recovering and leading to death [aSHR 1.97; 95%CI (1.57-2.47)] than those from urban areas. The patient’s tuberculosis status, viral load, regimen, baseline CD4 count, and location were significant contributors to death before CD4 count recovery. Intervention programs targeting HIV testing in rural areas for early ART initiation and promoting treatment adherence are recommended.

Pancreatic cancer is an intractable disease with the worst prognosis of all cancers. The currently used treatment regimens do not significantly impact patient survival, and therefore, effective treatment strategies are urgently needed. Drug repurposing, which identifies new indications for existing and approved drugs, has proven to be a promising approach to anti-cancer drug discovery. Indeed the antihelmintic drug, pyrvinium pamoate has shown promise as an anti-pancreatic cancer drug, but to date, the inhibition of mitochondrial function is the only mechanism of action described in pancreatic cancer. This study showed, using pancreatic cancer 2D cell cultures and 3D spheroids, that pyrvinium pamoate exhibited short- and long-term cytotoxicity, inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cell invasion and migration. Mechanistically, pyrvinium pamoate induced DNA damage, inhibited the PI3K/AKT cell survival pathway, and triggered cell cycle arrests, as well as apoptotic and autophagic cell death. Importantly, pyrvinium pamoate acted synergistically with the first-line drug, gemcitabine in 2D and 3D pancreatic cancer cell culture models. This study provided evidence that pyrvinium pamoate is effective as a single agent and in combination with gemcitabine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Savannas and adjacent vegetation types like gallery forests are highly valuable ecosystems contributing to several ecosystem services including carbon budgeting. Financial mechanisms such as REDD+ have provided an opportunity for developing countries to alleviate poverty through conservation of its forestry resources. For availing this opportunity carbon stock assessments are essential. Therefore, a research study at two protected areas i.e. Nazinga Game Ranch and Bontioli Nature Reserve, in Burkina Faso was conducted with the objective of assessing carbon Mg C ha-1 in aboveground biomass (AGB)dry of trees in different formations of the south-sudanian savanna in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Similarly analysis of various vegetation parameters was also conducted to understand the overall vegetation structure of these two protected areas. For estimating AGBdry, existing allometric equation for dry tropical woody vegetation types was used. The Importance Value Index (IVI) and Family Importance Value (FIV) were estimated through standard procedures. Various linear and non-linear regression analyses were conducted to test the relationships between carbon and other parameters such as DBH, height and basal area (BA). The results showed that both sites collectively contain mean carbon of 3.41 ± 4.98 Mg C ha-1. Amongst different vegetation types, gallery forests recorded the highest mean carbon of 9.38 ± 6.90 Mg C ha-1. The highest IVI of 115.56 at Nazinga Game Ranch was recorded for Anogeissus leiocarpa. Similarly, highest IVI of 98.59 was recorded for Mitragyna inermis at Bontioli Nature Reserve. The highest FIV was recorded for Combretaceae for both of the sites. To our knowledge, this was the first study conducted to assess the carbon stocks at the two protected areas in southern Burkina Faso. The study therefore was an attempt for addressing the knowledge gap particularly on carbon stocks of protected savannas. It could serve as a baseline for carbon stocks for future initiatives such as payment for environmental services and REDD+ at these areas.