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Nanomedicine solutions for alzheimer’s disease: a critical review of therapeutic nanoparticle strategies
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating disorder marked by progressive memory and cognitive function loss. Current treatments, including acetylcholinesterase and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor inhibitors, offer symptomatic relief but lack disease-modifying effects. The recent approval of aducanumab, an antibody clearing amyloid beta plaques, brings hope, though its therapeutic benefits are controversial. AD’s etiology is multifactorial, involving over 40 genetic variants, and remains poorly defined. Nanotechnology offers a promising avenue for optimized drug candidates, addressing challenges such as solubility, stability, and blood–brain barrier permeation. This review explores nanoformulations targeting key AD aspects, including amyloid beta, Tau protein, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Notably, multifunctional nanocarriers present a comprehensive approach, demonstrating the potential for effective AD therapy. Despite extensive research, only a small fraction of these studies progress to clinical trials. Continuous nanomedicine research is poised to play a vital role in future AD management, providing innovative solutions to this devastating disease
Evaluation of the Antimicrobial and Wound Healing efficacy of Extracts from Ehretia species and their Silver Nanoparticles.
No full textThe rise of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens and the increasing prevalence of chronic wounds pose serious threats to public health and the global economy. Chronic wounds become difficult to treat, especially when they harbor polymicrobial infections, as these complex infections often encourage the development of drug resistance. Many existing conventional treatments are associated with constraints, such as limited efficacy, high costs, and adverse side effects on surrounding healthy tissues. These factors necessitate a paradigm shift. In recent years, extracts from medicinal plants and their chemical derivatives have attracted significant attention as promising alternative therapeutic agents. This is primarily attributed to their cost-effectiveness, widespread accessibility, and fewer side effects. Ehretia species, widely distributed medicinal plants across southern Africa and other parts of the world, have been traditionally used to treat various ailments, including respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, skin conditions, and inflammatory and pain-related ailments. In addition to their medicinal properties, plant extracts are increasingly valuable in green nanotechnology, offering a cost–effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly method for fabricating nanoparticles (NPs). Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) hold significant potential in wound healing by reducing inflammation and preventing infections. In this respect, the combination of nanotechnology and medicinal plant extracts offers an innovative green approach to enhancing wound treatment. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Ehretia rigida (Er) leaf aqueous extract and its AgNPs as potential antimicrobial and wound healing agents. A multifaceted methodology combining in silico and in vitro approaches was used to achieve this goal. Initially, a literature search was conducted to retrieve and generate a library of phytoconstituents from Ehretia species. A key protein structure in the selected multidrug-resistant bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, specifically the carbapenemase-2 (KPC-2), was identified from freely available databases, such as https://www.uniprot.org/ and https://www.rcsb.org/. These datasets were used in protein–ligand simulations to investigate the interactions and potential mechanisms of action of the phytoconstituents. Thereafter, Er leaf aqueous extraction was performed and used for the synthesis of Er-AgNPs, followed by optimization of the synthesis conditions. The synthesized Er-AgNPs were characterized via various physicochemical techniques, such as ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Phytochemical screening was performed to quantify the total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the Er leaf extract and Er-AgNPs
A core outcome set for future male infertility research: development of an international consensus
No full textObjective: To develop a core outcome set for male infertility trials. Design: A two-round Delphi survey and consensus development workshop were undertaken with healthcare professionals, researchers and clinicians globally. Subjects: 334 participants from 39 countries participated in the Delphi Survey, while 44 participants from 21 countries participated in the consensus development workshop. Exposure: NA Main Outcome Measures: The core outcome set for male infertility trials has been developed by the inclusion of specific male-factor outcomes in addition to the general infertility core outcome set which focuses on female-factor outcomes. Results: The outcomes identified include assessment of semen using the World Health Organisation recommendations for semen analysis; viable intrauterine pregnancy confirmed by ultrasound (accounting for singleton, twin and higher multiple pregnancies); pregnancy loss (accounting for ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth and termination of pregnancy); live birth; gestational age at delivery; birthweight; neonatal mortality; and major congenital anomaly. Although not a requirement as part of the core outcome set, other outcomes were identified as potentially useful in certain study settings. Conclusion: Embedding the core outcome set within RCTs and systematic reviews should ensure the comprehensive selection, collection and reporting of core outcomes, which are inconsistently reported at present. Research funding bodies, the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) statement, and over 80 specialty journals, including the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group, Fertility and Sterility and Human Reproduction, have committed to implementing this core outcome set for male infertility trials. Trial Registration Number: Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) initiative registration No: 1586. Available at www.comet-initiative.org/Studies/Details/158
The demographic aspects of women with disabilities and access to health care facilities in South Africa: a comparative study between 2013 and 2018
No full textDisability is a normal part of human experience. However, disability is an underexplored topic among women in rural communities in South Africa, especially among women with disabilities (WWD) with regards to access to healthcare facilities. Previously, researchers have usually approached disability using the medical model, but the social model is critical to understand the way disability traverses with and is caused by other inequalities, such as race and gender. South Africa has been recognised by the World Bank as the most unequal country in the world. The inequalities that South Africans experience are encompassed in all areas of basic needs and service provision, especially among WWD who face differentiated disparity as a result of their gender, race and disability status. Thus, in the South African context, numerous social challenges exist in integrating equal and equitable access to healthcare for all, particularly for vulnerable populations such as WWD in rural areas. One of the key challenges include the poorly maintained and ill-functioning transportation services, along with inadequate and non-inclusive transport infrastructure. The demographic and socio-economic characteristics of WWD in rural settings influence and shape how frequently, how long and what mode of transportation they utilize when seeking medical treatment
A systematic review of the factors influencing the motivation to lead among students in higher education
No full textIntroduction: Institutions of higher education are considered a grooming ground for future leaders in the workplace and society at large. Several reasons can be attributed to why students are motivated to engage in leadership within these institutions. Research on motivation to lead highlights variables such as personality, values, leadership self-efficacy (LSE), and leadership experience as antecedents of motivation to lead. Methods: To identify other factors that could influence students’ motivation to lead, this paper reviewed published research from 2001 to 2024 investigating higher education students’ motivation to lead. The study included 13 articles that met the criteria for inclusion. Results: Thematic analysis was carried to identify the factors and then categorized the identified factors into internal and external factors to the students in the higher education environment. This was done based on the self-determination theory on motivation highlighting intrinsic and extrinsic motivators to human behavior. Discussion: Internal factors include emotion perception, race, need for power, affiliation and accomplishment, emotional intelligence, and LSE. External factors include leadership courses, programs and training, opportunities to lead, involvement in co-curricular clubs, campus support for leadership development, and classroom-based team experiences. This categorization aims to facilitate the design of interventions to enhance students’ motivation to engage in leadership activities and assume leadership roles. Limitations of this study include the small number of analysed studies, limited geographic representation, and restriction to English-language articles only
Investigating Frequent Pattern-based Models for Im- proving Community Policing in South Africa
No full textSouth Africa (SA) faces significant challenges due to a high crime rate, posing threats to citizens’ safety and economic growth. Adopting a comprehensive approach that integrates traditional crime prevention methods with advanced technologies is essential to address these challenges effectively. One of the relevant advanced techniques is pattern mining in Data Mining (DM), which utilizes association rules to identify relationships within dataset variables. This method is pivotal in the crime sector as it mines frequent patterns associated with prevailing criminal activities, aiding law enforcement in making strategic decisions to combat crime. Despite limited research on pattern-based models in SA, Frequent Pattern Growth (FP-Growth) and Hyper Structure Mining (Hmine) models have proven to be effective and efficient across various fields. Therefore, this research delves into exploring two prominent frequent
pattern-based mining algorithms, FP-Growth and Hmine, and then proposes a novel Hybrid Pattern- Growth algorithm (HP-Growth), which combines the strengths of FP-Growth and Hmine. An experiment was conducted with these models using Python to generate frequent patterns of crime with the South African crime statistics (Stats SA crime) dataset between 2005 and 2016 across all nine provinces. The experiment employed the Mean and Floor functions to compute the Minimum Support Value (MSV) required for pattern generation. Each model was evaluated using standard metrics such as memory usage, runtime, scalability, and the reliability of their frequent patterns. The study found that among the three models, HP-Growth performed more efficiently with sparse datasets, while Hmine performed best with dense datasets. FP-Growth exhibits higher time complexity and memory usage compared to Hmine and HP-Growth. Thus, Hmine emerges as the preferred algorithm for pattern generation due to its speed and memory efficiency with dense datasets, making it ideal for resource-constrained environments. The study establishes association rule thresholds and emphasizes the importance of selecting the most appropriate pattern-based model with low time and memory complexity for large-scale datasets and real-time processing for crime knowledge support. Furthermore, this research developed a crime knowledge support system, called CrimeTracker, which allows users to report and view crime information, and receive crime alerts. The system integrates the most suitable pattern-based model using a Representational State Transfer (REST) Application Programming Interface (API). The development of CrimeTracker utilized Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Python, and JavaScript. The research findings on the developed CrimeTracker are intended to have far-reaching implications for law enforcement agencies and crime analysts in SA. These insights could be crucial in guiding efficient resource allocation, refining crime prevention strategies, and bolstering community empowerment for improved safety and social cohesion. This further aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 on peace, justice, and strong institutions
Perceptions and knowledge of health professionals about telerehabilitation in Limpopo Province, South Africa
No full textIntroduction: In the digital age, telerehabilitation emerges as a promising solution to healthcare disparities, offering healthcare services comparable to in-person care. Telerehabilitation utilizes information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure to deliver rehabilitation services remotely. It requires essential resources such as tablets, computers, and applications like Skype, Zoom, and WebEx for audio-video communication between patients and healthcare professionals. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions and knowledge of healthcare professionals about telerehabilitation in the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: Through an exploratory qualitative study design, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were used. Twenty health professionals were purposefully recruited and interviewed as participants in this study. Participants were recruited and interviewed until data saturation was reached, meaning that categories appeared to guide the collected data without further modification. Healthcare professionals were included if they have a tertiary qualification. A minimum of two years of professional service within their respective profession. Participants were included if they were health professionals in direct contact with patients. Data were collected through one-on-one individual interviews with the 20 participants, using a semi-structured interview guide of open-ended questions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcribed data. The approval to conduct the study was sought from the Biomedical Research Committee. Findings: The analysis revealed three main themes and eleven sub-themes that highlight the perceptions and knowledge of the participants. The participants were knowledgeable about telerehabilitation. Although telerehabilitation is not operationalized in public healthcare facilities, the participants shared their understanding and the benefits associated with it. Furthermore, the participants reported that there is a potential space to implement Telerehabilitation in public healthcare facilities. However, such implementations have serious financial implications, which can serve as a challenge for implementation in South Africa. Conclusion: Therefore, the current study concludes that telerehabilitation is a worthwhile investment in healthcare facilities. Interventions are required by the government to mitigate the implementation challenges of telerehabilitation in South African healthcare facilities. The current study recommends that strategies be required to roll out demo-prototypes of telerehabilitation programs
The impact of weather variation on the body condition of cape cobras (Naja nivea) in the Kalahari — implications for climate change
No full textHot and dry weather conditions are known to impact the body condition and the fitness of many organisms. However, this relationship has not been extensively studied in snakes. We examined the impact of variation in rainfall and temperature on body condition for a population of cape cobras (Naja nivea) at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (Northern Cape Province, South Africa) over a period of five years during which time environmental conditions fluctuated substantially. We measured the mass and body length of 105 cobras, 58 from which we collected repeat measures, and calculated a body condition index (BCI) for each observation. We tested whether BCI was impacted by season, sex, and/or differences from expected mean monthly rainfall (during the preceding four-, 12-, and 24-week periods) and mean daily maximum temperature (during the preceding four-, 12-, and 24-week periods). Secondly, we tested whether BCI measures of cobras during the mating-season (September–November) were different between sexes and impacted by an index of environmental conditions (PC1 of rainfall and temperature) in the preceding summer. For our initial analysis, we found that the best-fitting model included season, sex, the relative amount of rain in the preceding twelve weeks (positive relationship), and the temperature in the preceding twelve weeks (negative relationship). Moreover, the BCI of cobras during the mating season was correlated with environmental conditions during the previous summer, with mating cobras exhibiting lower BCI measures following hot and dry summers. Our study reveals detrimental impacts of hot and dry conditions on cape cobra body condition, including measurable effects on body condition of mate-searching animals, following hot and dry summers. Taken together, we predict that prolonged hot dry periods, or increased frequency of hot dry periods in the future, might have detrimental effects on cape cobra populations in the Kalahari
Global maternal child health initiatives and programs 1974 to 2023
No full textAim: This review paper aims to review Global MCH initiatives and note trends across the last five decades (1974–2023). Methods: As an organizing framework, MCH initiatives and programs have been classified into five categories: Global Health Conferences, Declarations or Strategies; Global Health Surveys; Global MCH Programs; Global MCH related Data Initiatives or Working/Advisory Groups; and Global MCH Partnerships or Networks. Results: Over 50 Global MCH initiatives and programs have been implemented during this period. The first International Conference on Primary Health Care and the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978 initiated a new era of global public health. International conferences building on Alma Ata with a focus on population health and MCH, along with global surveys to measure the health status of populations across countries and global working groups to analyze these data, emerged over the next decades. Global MCH partnerships also emerged for advocacy and coordination of an increasing number of efforts to improve maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and well-being—towards achieving the Millennium (2000–2015) and Sustainable (2016–2030) Development Goals. Conclusion: Four trends were noted across these five decades: (1) MCH Mortality decreased but unacceptable inequities persist with COVID-19, ongoing conflicts and climate change threatening these gains. (2) Implementation of primary health care (PHC) as envisioned by Alma Ata in 1974 continues to see a debate about selective versus comprehensive programs. (3) As mortality declined (Survive), the field expanded focus to child well-being (Thrive) and across preconception through adolescents (Transform). (4) Global MCH issues are relevant across high-income (HIC) and low-middle income (LMIC) settings to achieve health and well-being of all women and children everywhere
Nigerian confraternities and mass cross-border fraud
No full textNigeria is well-known for its significant problem with criminal actors who commit industrial-scale online fraud and related crimes, predominantly targeting foreign nationals and businesses. However, the structures and characteristics of those involved remain less understood. A key area of debate concerns the degree of organization among these perpetrators and their affiliation with organized crime groups. A specific focus of this debate is the involvement of confraternities, such as Black Axe, originating from Nigerian universities. This paper will seek to offer a deeper assessment of the growing role of confraternities in organised fraud and how they utilise networks of members, often based in Western countries, to perpetrate fraud and launder money. The study argues that while the full extent of their involvement is challenging to ascertain, there is mounting evidence that confraternities play a significant role in cross-border fraud and money laundering operations in Western nations