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The association of periodontal disease and metabolic control of Type 1 adult patients with diabetes at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town
No full textBackground: Periodontal disease is chronic inflammation of the periodontium. The inflammation can affect the gingival connective tissue or can progress, into the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. Periodontal disease is a co-morbidity of diabetes and affects diabetics with poor control and suppressed immunity.
Aim: This study compared the periodontal status of adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with their diabetic metabolic control.
Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in adult patients diagnosed with T1DM. PD was assessed using the AAP (American Academy Of Periodontology) as well as EFP (European Federation Of Periodontology) 2017 classification. Periodontal parameters (bleeding index, periodontal pocket depth and radiographical bone loss) were assessed and the periodontal health of the diabetic patient was compared to their glycemic control.
Results: There were 120 adult participants, of whom 61.67% (74), were female, and 38.33 % (46) were male. The majority were non-smokers and less than 44 years of age. There were 78 (65%) participants with uncontrolled blood glucose (BG) and 42 (35%) with good control, HBA1C>=7%. The median HbA1C level was 8.75 [6.1 to 12.2].
The majority of the participants (94%) had periodontitis, and 97% of them showed uncontrolled blood glucose. Only 7 participants had gingivitis and only two showed poor metabolic control
Effects of acidic and alkaline electrolyzed water treatments on the volatilomics and proteomics changes in fresh-cut apple during storage
No full textElectrolyzed water (EW) has shown potential to decontaminate and maintain the quality of fresh-cut apple; however, the underlying response of the product to this treatment remains unclear. Thus, this study aims to identify the possible quality regulation mechanisms of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) and alkaline electrolyzed water (ALEW) treatments on fresh-cut ‘Granny Smith’ apples via volatile organic compound (VOC) and qualitative proteomics analysis during storage at 2 °C for 10 days. The results identified 43 VOCs, including 10 esters, 9 alcohols, 9 alkanes, 8 carboxylic acids, 6 ketones, and 1 aldehyde. The distribution of VOCs was significantly affected by the pretreatment conditions; fresh-cut apple treated with AEW was characterised by the highest number of esters, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, whereas samples treated with ALEW exhibited predominantly carboxylic acids, alcohols, and alkanes in comparison to control (untreated) samples. Ethyl dodecanoate, which was identified only in the ALEW samples on each sampling day, had the highest concentration among all the individual VOCs. The proteomics results showed that a total of 3434, 3401, and 3313 proteins were identified on day 3, 6, and 10, respectively, across all samples. Until day 6 of storage, no significant differences were observed among the samples. Notably, on day 6, “M16C_associated domain-containing protein” was shown to be unique to the control samples. KH type-2 domain-containing protein, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and 1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme were unique proteins identified after AEW treatment at day 6 and 10 of storage. No unique protein was identified for the ALEW samples. These results provide the first report of the proteomic and volatilomic changes associated with EW-treated fresh-cut apple during storage. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD056621. © 2025 RSC
Repurposing of apoptotic inducer drugs against mycobacterium tuberculosis
No full textComputational approaches complement traditional in-vitro or in-vivo assays, significantly accelerating the drug discovery process by increasing the probability of identifying promising lead compounds. In this study, the apoptotic compounds were assessed for antimycobacterial activity and immunomodulatory potential in infected THP-1 macrophage cells. The antimycobacterial activity of the apoptotic compounds was evaluated using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. The immunomodulatory potential of the apoptotic compounds was determined on mycobacterial-infected THP-1 and non-infected THP-1 macrophage cells. The potential binding dynamics of the compounds against InhA were predicted using molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and MM-GBSA binding free energies. The in-vitro MIC assay showed that cepharanthine (CEP) had the highest antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, with MICs of 3.1 and 1.5 µg/mL, respectively, followed by CP-31398 dihydrochloride hydrate (DIH) (MICs = 6.2 and 3.1 µg/mL, respectively), marinopyrrole A (MAR) (MICs = 25 and 12.5 µg/mL, respectively), and nutlin-3a (NUT) (MICs = 50 and 25 µg/mL, respectively). MICs for the rest of the drugs were > 200 µg/mL against both M. smegmatis mc2155 and M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Furthermore, the growth of M. smegmatis mc2155 in infected THP-1 macrophage cells treated with DIH, CEP, carboxyatractyloside potassium salt (CAR), and NUT was inhibited by the mentioned drugs. Cytokine profiling showed that DIH optimally regulated the secretion of IL-1β and TNF-α which potentially enhanced the clearance of the intracellular pathogen. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that NUT, MAR, 17-(allylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), and BV02 strongly bind to InhA. However, 17-AAG and BV02 did not show significant activity in-vitro. This study highlights the importance of probing already existing chemical scaffolds as a starting point for discovery of therapeutic agents against M. tuberculosis H37Rv using both pathogen and host directed approaches. The integration of molecular dynamics simulations provides valuable insights into potential scaffold modifications to enhance the affinity
Development of a structured training programme on interpersonal communication and counselling for midwives in Ondo State, Nigeria
No full textThe relevance of effective interpersonal communication in health care has long been emphasised and supported by extensive literature. In their day-to-day activities, midwives need to interact with their patients, their relatives, and other health team members to promote a cordial relationship and relaxed atmosphere that will enhance effective counselling of patients towards illness prevention and wellness promotion. Midwives’ use of effective interpersonal communication and counselling (IPCC) skills in personal and professional situations can reduce patient stress, promote comfort and wellness and improve overall quality health outcomes. Studies have shown that effective communication is a key determinant of patient satisfaction and utilisation of reproductive maternal, newborn, and adolescent child health (RMNCAH) care services. The literature revealed that midwives’ use of interpersonal communication skills is inadequate. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and skills of midwives on IPCC, develop and pilot a structured training programme to correct or add to the midwives’ knowledge and skills on interpersonal communication and counselling (IPCC) towards improved patient-friendly reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health care (RMNCAH) services. The theoretical basis of the study was drawn from the theoretical domain framework, adult learning and experiential learning theories, and the philosophical underpinning was pragmatism
Research asset management for promoting collaboration using publish-subscribe and immersive technology
No full textAssets, ranging from tangible assets (equipment and infrastructure) to intangible assets (knowledge), are essential economic resources owned or controlled by a person or organizations and play a vital role across diverse domains. Effective asset management is critical for optimal utilization and fostering collaboration among researchers within an institution. However, the level of collaboration can vary depending on the researchers’ needs. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 55000 standard defines asset management as the coordinated activity of an organization to realize value from assets. A preliminary investigation at a South African institution reveals that researchers often work in silos and face difficulties accessing potentially mutual assets such as chemicals or equipment, leading to under-utilization and high disposal costs for them. While several researchers have highlighted similar challenges in asset management within some organizations, there is limited evidence of implemented solutions for the problem. Therefore, this research developed an innovative asset management system, coined SciAssetHub (https://www.sciassethub.com/), using a publish-subscribe mechanism and immersive technology. The system notifies users of newly added assets and allows them to request the assets
Age-specific all-cause mortality rates among adolescents and youth living with and without HIV: evidence from a cohort study in South Africa
No full textIntroduction: Mortality among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) remains a global health problem. We lack granular (age- and sex-disaggregated) data on mortality among ALHIV, hence, this study aims to assess all-cause mortality among ALHIV in a low-resource setting. Methods: All adolescents ever initiated on antiretroviral treatment (ART, N = 1107) and their HIV-negative peers (N = 456) aged 10–19 years, recruited as part of the Mzantsi Wakho study cohort, were followed up between 2014 and 2022 (yielding 12,427.7 person-years of follow-up). First, we assessed the proportion of deaths and estimated crude mortality incidence rates per 100 person-years of follow-up and their 95% confidence intervals, stratified by HIV status, sex and mode of HIV acquisition (vertical vs. sexual). We then estimated adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) using Poisson regression adjusted for time-varying age, sex and time on ART. Last, we used the Cox proportional hazards regression model to estimate the risk of death by ART adherence. Results: A total of 1563 adolescents and young people were included in this analysis, 70.8% ALHIV and 57% female. More deaths occurred in ALHIV compared to their HIV-negative peers (8.3% vs. 0.4%, p<0.001). Among ALHIV, we observed a significantly higher proportion of deaths among males compared to females (10.7% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.036). Overall, mortality increased significantly with age, and males had a higher risk of mortality compared to females. Adolescents and youth living with vertically acquired HIV had a higher risk of mortality than those living with sexually acquired HIV. Comparing mortality rates by mode of HIV acquisition stratified by age and sex, mortality risk was higher among females aged 20+ years with vertically acquired HIV (IRR: 3.61, 95% CI 1.48–8.82) compared to females with sexually acquired HIV of the same age group. In a sub-sample analysis, sustained ART adherence was associated with a lower risk of death (aHR: 0.44, 95% CI 0.23–0.85)
Zambezi river basin aquifer systems: opportunities and challenges in using freely available data sources and groundwater flow modelling for spatial exploratory analysis
No full textA groundwater flow model was implemented over the Zambezi River Basin using the state-of-the-art DHI-WASY finite element code Feflow. The analysis was based upon different freely available datasets that include a hydrologically consistent digital elevation model from HYDROSHEDS, the BGS (British Geological Survey) quantitative hydrogeological maps, and the regional hydrogeological SADC-GMI database. The model implementation was aimed at: (i) to identify and analyse challenges and limitations (data scarcity, accuracy of regional datasets, impact of geological, tectonic and hydrogeological complexity on model reliability) in applying groundwater flow modelling at basin scale; (ii) to perform an exploratory spatial analysis with reference to the magnitude and spatial distribution of effective recharge, aquifers’ properties and interlinks between surface water and aquifer systems (surface water – groundwater interactions). High uncertainty is generally associated with the estimation of hydrological and hydrogeological parameters, whose high spatial variability is not necessarily captured by the regional data products. This study evaluates how integrating freely available datasets (such as the DEM, BGS maps) influences model accuracy and uncertainty, particularly in terms of parameter estimation. The findings illustrates that, despite the limitations, freely available datasets can still effectively be used to develop a groundwater model that captures regional piezometric trends and provides insights into spatial variability. This demonstrates the potential for using such models in similar data-scarce regions. The modeling approach is expected to provide valuable quantitative insights into groundwater trends and variability, helping to identify key areas of uncertainty and guiding future data collection and model refinement efforts
Supporting community health workers in South Africa for context-specific food and nutrition literacy: implementation of a multi-media education-entertainment intervention
No full textBackground: Multimedia technology, recognized for its efficacy in education, offers a complementary approach to traditional health education. In South Africa, community health workers (CHWs) play a pivotal role in improving population health, but often lack comprehensive health knowledge. This study explores the effectiveness of using a multimedia education-entertainment (MM-EE) intervention to enhance food and nutrition literacy among CHWs in resource-challenged townships. Methods: Seventy-seven participants completed a baseline and 6-month post-intervention follow-up survey. The MM-EE intervention comprised short stories conveyed via comic booklets and 30-second video clips, covering food knowledge, use of food labels, meal preparation, planning, and eating behaviour. Materials were distributed via mobile messaging services, including WhatsApp (as the primary social media platform), MMS, and SMS. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and multivariate linear regression were conducted using R studio version 4.3.3. Results: Over 70% of participants were classified as having obesity, and 18.2% as overweight, leading to 88.3% of participants being classified as overweight or having obesity. A significant proportion of participants (68.8%) reported having an existing non-communicable disease (NCD). The MM-EE intervention significantly improved CHWs’ food and nutrition literacy, reflected in improved median scores for meal preparation (43.1% [IQR: 19.6] pre- vs. 62.7% [IQR: 11.7] post-intervention), planning (58.6% [IQR: 12.1] pre- vs. 67.2% [IQR: 13.4] post-intervention), and overall food and nutrition literacy (63.0% [IQR: 8.1] pre- vs. 69.4% [IQR: 10.9] post-intervention; p <.001). Conclusion: The study showed effective MM-EE intervention outcomes, positioning this method of health dissemination as suitable for improving the food and nutrition literacy of CHWs in South Africa. The study suggests the potential effectiveness of MM-EE approaches to enhance the health knowledge of the South African population. However, adaptation for the wider population will require further research on scalability, sustainability and an improved intervention design to address all dimensions of literacy
Seven quality choicepoints for ARJ: Ambition is welcome!
No full textAction Research has developed and published actionable knowledge since 2003. Our intention is to support learning for transformations among people, organizations, communities and societies at multiple levels, inner and outer: personal, organizational, methodological, conceptual/discursive. In seeking also to support a community among international scholar-practitioners, we share authors’ blogs and host journal symposia. Action Research is not a method, but an orientation to inquiry, with diverse schools, labels, theories and practices. We honor the original working definition from the founding of the journal: Action research is “a participatory, democratic process concerned with developing practical knowing in the pursuit of worthwhile human purposes, grounded in a participatory worldview which we believe is emerging at this historical moment. It seeks to bring together action and reflection, theory and practice, in participation with others, in the pursuit of practical solutions to issues of pressing concern to people, and more generally the flourishing of individual persons and their communities,” Today, in the face of our eco-social crisis, Action Research highlights what is
transforming and how lives - of all beings – are being improved. The journal’s seven quality choicepoints articulate our understanding of action research. We use these for assessing and developing articles. In sharing them we make the review process more transparent
Global synthesis and regional insights for mainstreaming urban nature-based solutions
No full textThe increasing impacts of societal challenges in cities—including climate change, food and water security, health, and biodiversity loss—underline the need for multifunctional solutions that maximize cobenefits. The majority people, infrastructure, and economic activity is concentrated in cities, making them the global locus for social and economic risks as well as opportunity spaces for solutions. Cities around the world are rapidly investing in nature-based solutions (NbS) to complement, replace, or improve upon technological and engineered approaches to infrastructure-based solutions ( 1 – 5 ). To match the urgency of climate-related disruptions, costs, and impacts ( 6 ), NbS adoption and implementation must be accelerated. Yet, despite the demonstrated potential of NbS, uptake and knowledge is uneven globally ( 7 ). Knowledge on NbS in published literature is geographically biased from the Global North with less known from Global South regions ( 1 , 7 , 8 ). Even with proliferation of literature reviews on NBS, there remains a gap in studies that assess the state of knowledge in the literature and provide opportunity to augment insights from non-English literature and experiences from Global South contexts. Here, we help fill the gap in Global South knowledge assessment by combining a review of NbS review papers with a regionally focused expert review in diverse global regions to identify similarities and differences in barriers to NbS adoption and practice while synthesizing critical ways forward for addressing key challenges to implementation and research