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Maternal age and parity influences on health outcomes: a multivariable regression analysis of mothers and infants
No full textBackground: Adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes remain significant public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Maternal age and parity are recognised as key factors, yet their combined influence on maternal and infant outcomes is less understood, especially in LMICs. Objectives: We investigated the combined effects of maternal age and parity on maternal health risks, including body mass index (BMI), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and hypertension, as well as infant birth outcomes, namely birth weight, length, and gestational age, in an urban South African cohort. Methods: This study used data from 830 pregnant women (aged 18–44) enrolled in the Soweto First 1000 Days (S1000) longitudinal cohort. Group comparisons were conducted using ANOVA, chi-square, or Kruskal-Wallis tests. Multivariable Linear and logistic regression models assessed associations between age-parity and outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Analyses were conducted in StataSE 18; p 23 years, ≥ 1 child had higher BMI (28.6 kg/m², p <.001) and increased likelihood of hypertension (44.1%, p <.001), and GDM (7.4%, p =.012). Nulliparous women showed greater gestational weight gain (0.39 kg/week, p <.001) and an increased likelihood of having low birth weight (2960 g vs. 3185 g, p =.002), small for gestational age (SGA) (22.9%, p =.009), and shorter birth length infants (z = − 0.29, 95% CI: [− 0.57 to − 0.01], p =.04). Infants of mothers ≤ 23 years, ≥ 1 child had higher birth weight (β = 0.60, 95% CI: [0.32–0.88]; p <.001) and length z-scores (95% CI: [0.01–0.97], p =.046). Hypertension (β = −0.99, 95% CI: [− 1.52 to − 0.45], p <.001) and GDM (β = −0.57, 95% CI: [− 1.10 to − 0.04], p =.036) were associated with shorter gestational age. Conclusion: Maternal age and parity were associated with distinct risks to maternal and infant health. These findings support the need for more targeted, risk-based antenatal strategies in LMICs
Medication use and fall risk among older adults in long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional analysis
No full textBackground: Falls among older adults are a major concern, frequently resulting in injuries and a decreased quality of life. While medication use is known to be a key contributor to fall risk, the specific medications have not been thoroughly investigated. This study is vital to investigate the relationship between specific medications and fall risk, aiming to strengthen safety measures and minimise falls among the elderly in care facilities. Objectives: To determine the relationship between medication use and the risk of falling among the elderly living in Long Term Care (LTC) facilities. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design to investigate males and females, aged 60 years and older, living in retirement facilities in the City of Cape Town. A convenient sampling method was utilised to recruit a total of 258 participants from multiple long-term care facilities in Cape Town, South Africa. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to determine associations between falls, fall risk factors, and various medications used. Results: Majority of participants were at low risk (81%; n=211), 15.1% (n=39) at moderate risk and 3.1% (n=8) at high risk for falling. Antidepressant [χ2 (1)=4.941; p=0.026; OR=2.083 (95% CI: 1.082, 4.012)] and anti-diabetic [χ2 (1)=4.097, p=0.043, OR=2.070 (95% CI: 1.013, 4.228)] medications were the only drugs significantly associated with falling. Conclusion: These findings highlight the significant association between antidepressant and anti-diabetic medications and an increased risk of falls. Effective medication management and fall prevention strategies are essential among this vulnerable population. Clinicians should carefully assess the risks of these medications when prescribing to older adults and consider alternative treatments when necessary
Academic resilience in biology amongst orphans and vulnerable children at secondary schools in the otjozondjupa education region, namibia:
No full textThis study explored the lived experiences of academically resilient Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in the Otjozondjupa Education Region of Namibia, with specific attention to the factors that enable them to succeed in Biology despite adverse socio-economic and emotional conditions. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model and the Theory of Resilience, the research investigated how individual, familial, school, and community systems interact to foster academic perseverance among OVC. A qualitative research design was employed, using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and documentary evidence to collect data from ten Grade 12 learners identified as academically resilient. Thematic analysis guided the interpretation of findings, ensuring that emerging themes reflected both participants’ lived realities and the study’s theoretical foundations. The findings revealed that academic resilience among OVC is a dynamic, multi-layered process shaped by the interaction between personal strengths and contextual supports. Key enablers included personal motivation, a positive mindset, self-efficacy, and adaptability, which operated alongside external factors such as teacher encouragement, supportive family networks, peer collaboration, and community engagement. Access to educational resources and stable learning environments further enhanced resilience by enabling learners to sustain focus and academic performance. The study also found evidence of self-directed learning behaviours, including goal-setting, self-testing, and the strategic use of limited resources, illustrating that resilient learners actively manage their learning trajectories despite adversity. Drawing on these insights, the study developed the Resilience–Education Support Model (RESM)-a contextually grounded theoretical framework designed to explain and guide the fostering of academic resilience among OVC in Namibia and similar settings. The RESM integrates three interdependent components - Support Systems, Personal Motivation, and Access to Resources that interact dynamically across ecological levels and over time. The model emphasises that resilience is not a static trait but a developmental process shaped by continuous feedback between individuals and their environments. It further highlights the importance of emotional, academic, and material support as secondary enablers that reinforce learners’ capacity to adapt and succeed. The study concludes that effective educational responses to vulnerability must adopt a holistic, systemic approach-one that recognises the interconnection between personal agency, social relationships, and structural opportunity. The RESM thus provides both a theoretical lens and a practical framework for policymakers, educators, and community organisations to strengthen academic resilience through coordinated interventions. Ultimately, the study contributes to the growing body of African scholarship that reframes orphans and vulnerable learners not merely as recipients of support, but as active agents of transformation capable of sustained academic achievement despite adversity
Exploring innovation of internationalisation effectiveness in the higher education sector: a systematic review
No full textThe government, business, and higher education sectors benefit from internationalisation. This viewpoint is articulated considering the improved academic quality and international recognition derived from faculty/student exchange programs and research partnerships, which elevate academic standards and the institution’s profile internationally. This systematic review is intended to (i) highlight the prevalence of current publications and other research-related activities that are steered towards the innovation of internationalisation in Higher Education Sector (HES), (ii) analyse and organise data on the impact of internationalisation effectiveness in the HES, and (iii) conclude with future characteristics of internationalisation effectiveness with suggestions to government, decision-makers, and institutions to achieve sustainable education sector. A search strategy was initiated through various research databases within the years 2005–2024. Of the 3865 identified papers from the database search, 3558 were excluded, and 307 were selected, of which 32 publications were utilised in the review process. The study identified several themes: transformation, factors, global nationality, international mobility, impact, curriculum and strategic framework. The study highlights the need to decolonise the HES for internationalisation effectiveness. This study also highlights future empirical research on the innovative effects of internationalisation for economic development
An exploration of the halal consumption patterns of muslim and non-Muslim consumers in Cape Town: an institutional theory perspective
No full textThis chapter investigates Halal Certified Food Products (HCFPs) from the consumer's perspective, specifically analysing the consumption behaviours and patterns of Muslim and non-Muslim individuals in Cape Town, utilising institutional theory as a theoretical lens. Various institutional pressures (normative, mimetic and coercive) are identified within institutional theory, which play a crucial role in shaping consumer attitudes and decision- making processes. This study endeavours to elucidate the motivations behind consumer (Muslim and non-Muslim) choices by considering factors such as beliefs, cultural influences, social influences, and ethical considerations surrounding Halal certification. The data was collected using a quantitative method, targeting 450 respondents who were conveniently sampled across the city of Cape Town. The findings highlight the significance of religious and cultural norms, the role of regulatory bodies and certification processes, the impact of social norms and peer influence, and the effects of market forces and industry practices
MIGHTEE-H I: the direct detection of neutral hydrogen in galaxies at z > 0.25
No full textAtomic hydrogen constitutes the gas reservoir from which molecular gas and star formation in galaxies emerges. However, the weakness ofthe line meansit has been difficult to directly detect in all but the very local Universe. Here, we presentresultsfrom the first search using the MeerKAT International Tiered Extragalactic Exploration (MIGHTEE) Survey for high-redshift (z > 0.25) H I emission from individual galaxies. By searching for 21-cm emission centred on the position and redshift of optically selected emission-line galaxies we overcome difficulties that hinder untargeted searches. We detect 11 galaxies at z > 0.25, forming the first sample of z > 0.25 detections with an interferometer, with the highest redshift detection at z = 0.3841. We find they have much larger H I masses than their low-redshift H I-selected counterparts for a given stellar mass. This can be explained by the much larger cosmological volume probed at these high redshifts, and does not require any evolution of the H I mass function. We make the first-ever measurement of the baryonic Tully–Fisher relation (bTFr) with H I at z > 0.25 and find consistency with the local bTFr, but with tentative evidence of a flattening in the relation at these redshifts for higher-mass objects. This may signify evolution, in line with predictions from hydrodynamic simulations, or that the molecular gas mass in these high-mass galaxies could be significant. This study paves the way for future studies of H I beyond the local Universe, using both searches targeted at known objects and via pure H I selection
Vitamin D3 loaded polycaprolactone nanoparticles enhance the expression of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin in macrophages
No full textTuberculosis (TB), primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a global health burden. Current antibiotic treatments are limited by adverse effects, poor adherence, and drug resistance, necessitating new therapeutic approaches. Recent studies highlight the role of vitamin D3 (VD3) in enhancing host immune responses against the mycobacterium via cathelicidin (an antimicrobial peptide) and autophagy activation. In this study, VD3-loaded poly-ƹ-caprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized to enhance cathelicidin expression in macrophages. NPs containing cholecalciferol, calcifediol, and calcitriol were synthesized using an emulsification solvent-evaporation technique. Average sizes of synthesized NPs ranged from 304.7 to 458.7 nm, with polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential (ZP) ranging from 0.103 to 0.257 and −17.3 to −7.47 mV, respectively. Encapsulation efficiencies were 9.68%, 10.99%, and 19.28% for cholecalciferol, calcifediol, and calcitriol, respectively. VD3-encapsulated NPs stimulated a dose-dependent increase in cathelicidin expression in THP-1 macrophages. Encapsulated calcifediol and calcitriol (100 ng/ml) induced the expression of 243.46 ng/ml ± 4.55 ng/ml and 396.67 ng/ml ± 25.24 ng/ml of cathelicidin, respectively, which was significantly higher than that induced by the free drugs. These findings suggest that NP encapsulation may offer a more efficient approach to using vitamin D3 for inducing cathelicidin expression as a host-directed treatment for TB
The southwesternmost piece of the Grenville Orogen in Laurentia – New U-Pb and Sm-Nd ages, and P-T estimates from the Sierra del Cuervo, Chihuahua, Mexico.
No full textThis paper elucidates the origin and tectonic setting of Mesoproterozoic metaigneous rocks of the Sierra de Cuervo, Chihuahua, Mexico, providing new evidence for the southwestern extension of the Grenville Orogeny in North America. Several geochronological approaches were used, including U-Pb zircon dating by LA-ICP-MS and the Sm-Nd isochron technique, using ID-TIMS. Igneous zircon domains reveal crystallization ages for felsic igneous protoliths ranging from ~ 1.38 Ga to ~ 1.33 Ga, with ~ 1.42 b.yr. old inherited zircon. Whole-rock SmNd isotopic data define an isochron at 1.52 ± 0.03 Ga, suggesting crustal growth during the early Mesoproterozoic. The timing of metamorphism is constrained by Sm-Nd leached garnet-whole-rock isochrons and by U-Pb zircon dates between ~ 1.06 and ~ 1.05 Ga. Metamorphic pressure and temperature conditions were estimated from a metamafic rock sample at 6.4 ± 1 kbar and 520 ± 20 ◦C using conventional geothermobarometry and pseudosection modeling. The results contextualize the Precambrian rocks of the Sierra del Cuervo with metamorphic rocks of the West Texas Uplift thrust over the Laurentian margin. We propose that this thrust represents a remnant of the unexposed Grenville Front and that the Chihuahua and West Texas metamorphic basement is characterized by contemporaneous magmatism and reworked from the Granite-Rhyolite Province of the North American midcontinent during the Grenville Orogeny, comparable to the low-medium pressure allochthonous Ottawan metamorphic belt of the Grenville Province in Canad
Exploring the scope of parenting programmes/interventions in South Africa: Guided by a systematic review and Delphi method.
No full textThe most fundamental figures in a child’s life are their caregivers as they play a crucial role in the child’s psychobiological, cognitive, social, psychological and emotional development. A positive influence in this development is fostered through the caregivers’ parenting practices, which may be governed by various factors including, but not limited to, the degree of responsiveness/warmth and demandingness/control exhibited. Parenting interventions refer to programmes designed to assist caregivers in improving their parenting practices and skills to promote positive outcomes in children. This study explored the scope of parenting interventions in South Africa through a mixed-method design, involving a systematic review and Delphi method. The systematic review provided a structured assessment of existing peer-reviewed literature pertaining to the design and delivery of parenting interventions in South Africa. Literature was sourced via a selection of nine databases within UWC’s institutional library repository. The final analysis identified 16 articles which referred to the effectiveness of parenting interventions in South Africa as well as the barriers to intervention. The second phase of this study utilised a Delphi method as a measure to explore key findings from the systematic review. Nine experts in the field of parenting interventions (identified through the systematic review and through expert referral) participated in this phase, highlighting the importance of parenting interventions and the mitigation of barriers. Qualitative data was obtained from nine individual structured interviews that were facilitated either via online meetings or via written response. Data was analysed thematically in conjunction with Braun and Clarke’s six principles. Findings of the study emphasise the need for culturally adaptable, scalable interventions, long-term sustainability and to address the systemic barriers that negatively influence parenting practices and behaviours. This research provides the groundwork for improving parenting interventions and fostering healthy family dynamics and communities. Limitations centred upon contextual relevance, systemic and structural barriers. Future recommendations emphasise the need for broader national representation, gender-diverse expert panels, and culturally relevant, community-based approaches that address socio-economic barriers such as transport, cost, and access to services
Association of platelet to albumin ratio with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2017–2018
No full textThe prevalence and incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are significantly increasing globally, but the index of non-invasive disease is limited. Platelet-albumin ratio(PAR) is a non-invasive biomarker of inflammation, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between PAR and MASLD. This population-based cross-sectional retrospective study analyzed data extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) database from 2017 to 2018. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between PAR and MASLD in different models. Model I was unadjusted, model II adjusted for race, sex and age, and model III was adjusted based on model II plus smoking status, hypertension, and diabetes. Further subgroup analysis was carried out according to sex, age, hypertension and diabetes status. The study involved 3287 participants, of whom 873 (26.5%) were diagnosed with MASLD. The PAR level in MASLD group was significantly higher than non-MASLD group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that high PAR level was an independent risk factor for MASLD (OR = 2.58, 95%CI: 1.26–5.27, P = 0.03), which adjusted for sex, age, race, smoking status, hypertension, and diabetes.The same results were observed in multiple subgroups of further subgroup analysis, and it can effectively predict the risk of MASLD (AUC = 0.842, 95% CI: 0.826–0.859). In conclusion, the new biomarker PAR shows a positive correlation with the risk of MASLD in the population, and can be used as a biomarker of MASLD to help clinicians identify people at high risk of MASLD