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Novel strategies to profile SARS-CoV-2 and human lung proteome: inflammatory pathways in the spotlight
No full textSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, has caused widespread morbidity and mortality worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers innate and adaptive immune responses, but excessive cytokine release can drive hyperinflammation, acute respiratory distress syndrome and poor clinical outcomes. Although serological and molecular assays, such as ELISA and RT-qPCR, remain central to COVID-19 diagnostics, they have limited capacity to reveal host–pathogen interactions at the tissue level. Therefore, profiling the human lung proteome offers a powerful strategy to identify molecular signatures associated with viral pathogenesis and disease severity. This review emphasises emerging technologies that advance lung proteome profiling during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Novel strategies include phage display for high-throughput identification of antibody–antigen interactions, yeast two-hybrid for mapping virus–host protein interactions and lateral flow immunoassays for rapid, point-of-care detection. Conversely, omics-based technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, microarrays and mass spectrometry are transforming our understanding of the lung proteome by revealing patterns of gene expression, protein abundance and immune heterogeneity. Therefore, comparing these conventional diagnostic assays with innovative approaches, we highlight their unique contributions to lung proteome research. These tools not only improve diagnostic precision but also hold the potential to uncover biomarkers for early risk stratification and therapeutic targeting. Prioritising integrative proteome-focused strategies may ultimately guide personalised interventions and enhance preparedness for future viral outbreaks
Gender-associated factors on the occurrence and prevalence of zero-dose children in Sub-Saharan Africa: a critical literature review
No full textBackground: Immunisation remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient public health interventions for preventing infectious diseases in children. Despite global progress, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to face challenges in achieving equitable immunisation coverage. Gender-related disparities, rooted in sociocultural and structural inequalities, significantly influence the prevalence of zero-dose and under-immunised children in the region. This review critically examines the gender-associated barriers to routine childhood immunisation in SSA to inform more inclusive and equitable health interventions. Methods: A critical literature review was conducted generally following some steps of the PRISMA-P and CRD guidelines. Using the Population–Concept–Context (PCC) framework, studies were selected that examined gender-related barriers to routine immunisation for children under five in Sub-Saharan Africa. Comprehensive searches were performed across PubMed, Google Scholar, and relevant organisational websites, targeting articles published between 2015 and 2025. A total of 3683 articles were retrieved, with 24 studies ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was used to synthesise the findings. Results: Four major themes emerged: (1) women’s empowerment and autonomy, including limited decision-making power, financial control, and the impact of gender-based violence; (2) male involvement and prevailing gender norms, where patriarchal structures and low male engagement negatively influenced vaccine uptake; (3) socioeconomic and structural barriers, such as poverty, geographic inaccessibility, maternal workload, and service availability; and (4) education, awareness, and health system responsiveness. Conclusions: Gender dynamics have a significant impact on childhood immunisation outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Future policies must integrate these insights to improve immunisation equity and reduce preventable child morbidity and mortality across the region
An analysis of the international court of justice advisory opinion on the occupation of the Palestinian territory by Israel
No full textPalestine is the historical land of both Arabs and Jews. The Palestinian people have been subject to Israel’s occupation aimed to minimise Palestinians in their historical land whilst expanding Israeli territory. Palestine has been exposed to ethnic, religious and territorial disputes involving Israel and Arab Nations including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Jordan. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been fuelled by the West including Britain and the United States of America. This is evident in the British promising Palestine to the Jewish people through the Balfour Declaration of 1917, creating a foundation for the formation of the State of Israel. It is also clear in the unwavering support of the United States of America of Israel’s continued occupation in Palestinian Territories. The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice was issued on 19 July 2024 in the Hague deeming the continued Israeli occupation unlawful. The Court found that Israel’s policies and practices constitute a breach of Article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 1965. The continued Israeli occupation of Palestine has, therefore, disregarded the right of Palestinian people to self-determination and establishing a solidified statehood. This thesis seeks to provide a critical analysis of the impact of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion with regards to the crime of apartheid. It also seeks to explore the various ways in which Israel and its officials can be held accountable for the crime of apartheid. It can be concluded that Israel has subjected the Palestinian people to policies and practices resulting in a modern-day apartheid
Women’s and girls’ sexual empowerment differs by geographical context: a population-based validation study
No full textObjective: To validate a sexual empowerment sub-scale of the Women’s and Girls’ Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Index (WGE-SRH) across eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and compare sexual empowerment across these contexts. Methods: This study leverages cross-sectional, population-based survey data collected among women of reproductive age in Burkina Faso (n = 4,012), Côte d’Ivoire (n = 2,278); Kongo Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC (n = 1,097)); Kinshasa, DRC (n = 1,143); Rajasthan, India (n = 4,004); Kenya (n = 5,454); Kano, Nigeria (n = 780); Lagos, Nigeria (n = 804); Niger (n = 2,286); and Uganda (n = 2,228) to validate eight sexual empowerment measures via confirmatory factor analysis. Overall scores of the validated measures were descriptively examined across settings. Findings: Final models confirm the theoretical structure of the sexual empowerment measure, including two- dimensions: “existence of choice” and “exercise of choice”, each comprised of three items, with moderate internal consistency ranging from 0.59 to 0.69. Factor loadings, goodness-of-fit, and percent agreement varied in Rajasthan, India compared to sub-Saharan African settings. Marked variations were seen across sites in women’s perceptions of their partners’ responses to refusing sex, as well as their own confidence in voicing when and when not to have sex. Conclusion: This measure was developed in sub-Saharan Africa and works well for the population that it was designed to serve, however, cannot be extrapolated to other settings. To comprehensively capture the dynamic nature of sexual empowerment, future research is needed to examine measures across cultures and time. Validation across diverse settings opens avenues for holistic examination of positive sexual health, including factors that enhance women’s sexual empowerment and rights
Peer-learning and support among health policy and systems research actors in West Africa: a social network analysis
No full textBackground: Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is vital for strengthening health systems, yet its development in West Africa remains constrained by limited capacity. To strengthen capacity, the West African Network of Emerging Leaders in Health Policy and Systems (WANEL) was created to foster peer learning and cross-country collaboration among early- and mid-career HPSR actors. This study used Social Network Analysis (SNA) to examine WANEL’s structure and functioning, with the aim of understanding how well the network supports its capacity and HPSR field-building goals. Methods: A cross-sectional whole-network survey was conducted with all 103 WANEL members, supported by document reviews and qualitative interviews. Relationship types assessed included acquaintance, communication, advice, mentorship and research collaboration. Data were analysed using Gephi to visualize relational patterns and compute metrics such as density and centralization, while qualitative findings provided context for interpreting network dynamics. Results: While WANEL has enhanced cross-country awareness and disciplinary diversity, the network exhibits low cohesion and high centralization. Key support relationships, particularly mentorship, advice and collaboration are sparse and unevenly distributed. A few actors dominate the flow of information and access to opportunities, while many, especially early-career and francophone actors, remain peripheral or isolated. Network interactions are driven by prior relationships and linguistic or professional affinity, limiting broader engagement. Conclusion: Findings reveal structural barriers that constrain WANEL’s potential to act as an inclusive platform for HPSR capacity-strengthening. To fulfil its vision, the network must address its current fragmentation by building stronger cross-cutting ties, broadening participation and decentralizing influence. This study contributes empirical insights into the design and governance of regional HPSR networks in low- and middle-income contexts and underscores the importance of relational infrastructure in advancing collective capacity
Evidence for inverse Compton scattering in high-redshift Lyman-break galaxies
No full textRadio continuum emission provides a unique opportunity to study star formation unbiased by dust obscuration. However, if radio observations are to be used to accurately trace star formation to high redshifts, it is crucial that the physical processes that affect the radio emission from star-forming galaxies are well understood. While inverse Compton (IC) losses from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) are negligible in the local universe, the rapid increase in the strength of the CMB energy density with redshift [∼ (1 + z)4] means that this effect becomes increasingly important at z ≿ 3. Using a sample of ∼ 200 000 high-redshift (3 < z < 5) Lyman-break galaxies selected in the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV), we have stacked radio observations from the MIGHTEE survey to estimate their 1.4-GHz flux densities. We find that for a given rest-frame UV magnitude, the 1.4-GHz flux density and luminosity decrease with redshift. We compare these results to the theoretical predicted effect of energy losses due to IC scattering off the CMB, and find that the observed decrease is consistent with this explanation. We discuss other possible causes for the observed decrease in radio flux density with redshift at a given UV magnitude, such as a top-heavy initial mass function at high redshift or an evolution of the dust properties, but suggest that IC scattering is the most compelling explanation
Remotely sensed delineation of groundwater dependent ecosystems in Khakhea-Bray Transboundary Aquifer
No full textRemote sensing of groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) has increased substantially in recent years. Of significant prominence, is the delineation and mapping of groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV), species diversity, and water quality in these ecosystems. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems provide several ecological services such as habitat for wildlife fauna, carbon sequestration and water purification. The recent technological advancements and readily accessibility of new satellite sensors with improved sensing characteristics have resulted in numerous state-of-the-art applications for GDEs assessment and monitoring. These studies were done at varying scales, essentially in light of global climate change and variability. In this study, progress on the remote sensing of GDEs in semi-arid environments is assessed. The study presents the key trends in GDEs remote sensing that underpin many of the recent scientific research milestones and application developments. In addition, it observed a considerable shift towards the use of advanced spatial modelling techniques, using high-resolution remotely sensed data to further improve the characterisation and understanding of GDEs. Thus, literature shows the successful use of freely available remotely sensed data in mapping GDEs
Euclid preparation LXXIV. Euclidised observations of Hubble Frontier Fields and CLASH galaxy clusters
No full textWe present HST2EUCLID, a novel Python code to generate Euclid realistic mock images in the HE, JE, YE, and IE photometric bands based on panchromatic Hubble Space Telescope observations. The software was used to create a simulated database of Euclid images for the 27 galaxy clusters observed during the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble (CLASH) and the Hubble Frontier Fields (HFF) program. Since the mock images were generated from real observations, they incorporate, by construction, all the complexity of the observed galaxy clusters. The simulated Euclid data of the galaxy cluster MACS J0416.1−2403 were then used to explore the possibility of developing strong lensing models based on the Euclid data. In this context, complementary photometric or spectroscopic follow-up campaigns are required to measure the redshifts of multiple images and cluster member galaxies. By Euclidising six parallel blank fields obtained during the HFF program, we provide an estimate of the number of galaxies detectable in Euclid images per deg2 per magnitude bin (number counts) and the distribution of the galaxy sizes. Finally, we present a preview of the Chandra Deep Field South that will be observed during the Euclid Deep Survey and two examples of galaxy-scale strong lensing systems residing in regions of the sky covered by the Euclid Wide Survey. The methodology developed in this work lends itself to several additional applications, as simulated Euclid fields based on HST (or JWST) imaging with extensive spectroscopic information can be used to validate the feasibility of legacy science cases or to train deep learning techniques in advance, thus preparing for a timely exploitation of the Euclid Survey data
Role of quality management for service delivery in an academic library at a South Africa tertiary institution
No full textQuality management (QM) aims to continuously improve the quality of services and processes of an organization. Often is not big innovations, but customer-centric approaches to properly meet their needs. To sustain a desired degree of excellence, all necessary activities and tasks must be managed for quality. The advent of the 21st century and its dynamic information environment has changed the way libraries provide service with new technologies introduced in the Library and information services (LIS) sector. The goals of the study were to examine and acquire an understanding of quality management (QM) in academic libraries and the impact it has on service delivery in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). The study aimed to investigate the role of quality management in service delivery in an academic library at a South Africa tertiary institution. The study identified the QM practices, QM techniques, and areas used by the librarians to provide and improve service delivery. The study further measured the benefits of QM and the challenges faced by librarians when providing service delivery. This case study adopted a positivist paradigm and an explanatory sequential mixed method approach using a web-based questionnaire and telephonic follow-up interviews to collect data. The research site was the three academic libraries forming the library and information service of a South African tertiary institution in the Limpopo Township Turfloop. Data was collected using an online questionnaire completed by 32 librarians and interviews were conducted with two librarians and a library manager. Collected data were analysed through descriptive statistics and thematic data analysis. Findings reflect that librarians are aware of QM practices and techniques, and they are striving to ensure that quality services are delivered. Challenges faced are insufficient budget, staff development and training, ICTs as well as an inadequate collection and library space. The study recommends an intensive study on the improvement of service delivery – in particular the policies and procedures needed - at this academic library to accommodate the needs and demands of users, especially considering the emerging fifth industrial revolution
Human sperm as an in vitro toxicity model: a versatile tool for assessing the risk of environmental contaminants
No full textContaminants of emerging concern (CECs) pose a significant threat to human and ecosystem health due to their persistence, bioaccumulation in higher trophic levels, and potential toxicity. While in vivo models are commonly used for toxicity screening, developing alternative in vitro techniques for rapid environmental risk assessment is essential. Spermatozoa, with their compartmentalized structure, measurable characteristics and sensitivity to environmental changes, offer potential as an in vitro model for toxicity screening. We evaluated the impact of selected CECs, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides, on sperm function in highly motile sperm subpopulations selected from donor semen. Standardised protocols were applied to assess various sperm functional parameters after 1–4 h of exposure to either individual or a mixture of chemicals. Our findings revealed that total motility is insufficient to detect subtle toxic effect. More responsive measures, such as sperm kinematics, induced hyperactivation, viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) should be assessed to elucidate the effect of a toxic environment on sperm function. Most chemicals exerted a dose–response effect on sperm parameters, with the higher concentrations resulting in the most negative effects. The inherent sensitivity of human spermatozoa to oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and energy metabolism, makes them a robust model for assessing toxicity. These features highlight their utility as an alternative cellular model for evaluating CECs and advancing risk assessment methodologies