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Air quality, respiratory health and performance in athletes : a summary of the IOC consensus subgroup narrative review on ‘Acute Respiratory Illness in Athletes’
Full text linkWith the WHO stating that nearly 99% of the global population is exposed to air pollution levels that increase the risk of chronic diseases, the question of exercising in polluted environments is relevant to the health of athletes. Major sporting events held under conditions of poor air quality (AQ) have highlighted the lack of answers to concerns raised by organisers and athletes about the associated health risks. This evidence-based narrative review compiles current knowledge and identifies gaps regarding the relationship between AQ and sport. It is a summary of a more comprehensive report prepared for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical and Scientific Commission. This article discusses the various sources of air pollutants encountered during exercise, summarises current AQ guidelines and provides insights into AQ conditions during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (OPG) as well as in Los Angeles over the past four summers, in preparation for the 2028 OPG. It also summarises the effects of air pollution on the respiratory health and performance of athletes, while proposing mitigation strategies, with a particular emphasis on AQ education.https://bjsm.bmj.com/hj2024Sports MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-11:Sustainable cities and communitie
Ethnoveterinary medicines used by smallholder farmers for treatment of goat ailments in Chikomba, Murewa, Gutu and Mwenezi districts of Zimbabwe : is there cultural consensus in use practices?
Full text linkDATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE : Zimbabwe is a key biodiversity domain in sub-Saharan Africa and ethnoveterinary medicines play an integral role in livestock health. However, knowledge on whether plants are used by only a small proportion of people or whether similar uses exist in different communities and in a more regional context is incompletely documented.
AIM OF THE STUDY : Firstly, the study documented plant-based complementary medicines used for managing goat ailments. Secondly, culturally important medicinal plant species with highest use-reports (UR) as well as botanical and therapeutic consistency were computed. Thirdly, details on whether similar ethnobotanical practices exist in different communities as an indicator of information exchange were explored.
MATERIALS AND METHODS : A total of 200 informants from Gutu, Chikomba, Murewa and Mwenezi districts of Zimbabwe were interviewed. Plant identification was done at the National Herbarium and Botanic Gardens of Zimbabwe. Use-reports were generated and subjected to analysis using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in IBM SPSS statistical software.
RESULTS : The impact of parasites and diseases was ranked as the major goat production constraint. A total of 160 homemade remedies were documented, 151 of which comprised a single plant species (Homemade Single Species Herbal Remedy Reports, HSHR). The 151 HSHR prepared using 75 plant species belonging to 34 families referred to 401 UR. The foremost used medicinal plant species were from the Fabaceae family (28 HSHR, 19%). Cassia abbreviata was the most cited plant species (6 HSHR, 4%). The category of ecto- and endoparasites had the highest number of UR out of a total of 9 categories (136 UR, 34%). The most frequently used plant species for this category were Solanum campylacanthum (8 UR, 6%) and Strychnos spinosa (6 UR, 4%). Almost similar numbers of UR were computed across communities for 6 disease categories. Nine different combinations (9 HR, 9 UR) comprising mostly of three plant species were reported for various ailments. Baccharoides adoensis and Terminalia sericea were often reported in these combinations for January disease. Highest levels of therapeutic consistency were computed for Aloe vera and Lippia javanica against ectoparasites (10 out of 24 local studies). Interestingly, 28 new medicinal plant species were documented for the first time in Zimbabwe. Again, these were mostly used for ecto-and endoparasites (8 plant species, 29%).
CONCLUSIONS : Ethnoveterinary medicines play a pivotal role in management of livestock ailments in rural communities of Zimbabwe. However, attention is warranted to ensure transparency in use practices, as well as to conserve and scientifically validate culturally important medicinal plant species such as Aloe vera and Lippia javanica.The University of Pretoria; Postgraduate Doctoral Research Bursary.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/jethpharmhj2024Paraclinical SciencesSDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-15:Life on lan
Measurement of district health system strengthening efforts for maternal and newborn health service delivery: synchronized application of evaluation models in the West Nile region, Uganda, 2019-2021
Full text linkDATA AVAILABILITY :
The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on request.INTRODUCTION : Uganda has high maternal, neonatal, and under-five mortality rates. Between 2019 and 2021, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners, implemented a maternal and newborn health (MNH) quality improvement programme in the West Nile region of Uganda to improve the delivery and utilization of MNH services. This study describes the application of health system evaluation models to monitor changes in health system capacity and the quality of MNH services.
METHODS : We designed two novel health system evaluation models—the Progression and ServQual models—which progressively monitor changes in health system capacity and quality of health services. The progression model was designed to measure changes in health system capacity using a set of indicators and benchmarks. For each health system component, the tool generates scores as follows: > 90% for level 4 progression (surpasses basic expectations); 70–90% for level 3 (meets basic expectations); 50- < 70% for level 2 (needs improvement); and < 50% for level 1 progression (needs urgent attention). The quality of MNH services was monitored through annual client satisfaction surveys using the ServQual model. The identified health system capacity and service quality gaps were used to inform corrective actions.
RESULTS : Overall, the average health system capacity scores across the 12 districts increased from 62.9% (level 2) in 2019 to 71.2% (level 3) in 2021. The capacity scores for each health system component increased: governance and leadership increased from 67.7% to 74.1%, health financing increased from 67.4% to 69.3%, access to essential medicines increased from 50.2% to 77.0%, the health information system increased from 71.8% to 74.9%, the health workforce increased from 56.8% to 66.9%, and MNH service delivery slightly increased from 63.5% to 64.5%. Client satisfaction with the quality of MNH services increased from 26.5% in 2019 to 39.8% in 2021.
CONCLUSION : Synchronized application of the Progression and ServQual models is an important innovative strategy for monitoring changes in district health system capacity and quality of health services. The results of applying these models can be used to guide better targeting for health system capacity improvement.UNICEF Uganda.https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/hj2024Paediatrics and Child HealthSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein
Optimal capacity configuration of a wind-solar-battery-diesel microgrid system using continuous grey wolf optimization
No full textDATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.This study presents a novel optimization method for the design of a hybrid microgrid system, consisting of wind turbines, photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage systems, and diesel generators. A Continuous Grey Wolf Optimization (CGWO) algorithm is proposed to tackle the challenges of nonlinearity and stochastic disturbances in the system’s capacity configuration. The CGWO enhances the traditional Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) by incorporating an improved convergence factor and a dynamic weighting strategy, significantly increasing convergence speed and solution quality. A case study is conducted to evaluate four power supply schemes for the microgrid. Results indicate that Scheme 3 achieves the lowest total cost and environmental conversion expenses, with reductions of 30.12% and 59.7% compared to Scheme 1, and 16.74% and 39.84% compared to Scheme 2, respectively. In addition, the CGWO reduces diesel generator usage by 23.78% compared to the GWO and 22.04% compared to Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), while decreasing power shortages by 62.09% and 60.25%, respectively. These findings highlight the CGWO’s effectiveness in optimizing microgrid configurations, balancing cost, sustainability, and reliability. The proposed method provides valuable insights for designing cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable energy systems.The Liaoning Province Research Project and the University-local government scientific and technical cooperation cultivation project of Ordos Institute-LNTU.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/est2026-02-07hj2024Electrical, Electronic and Computer EngineeringSDG-07:Affordable and clean energySDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructur
Methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in tennis : ReFORM synthesis of the International Olympic Committee consensus statement
Full text linkNo abstract available.The International Olympic Committee Medical and Scientific Commission programme for Prevention of injury and protection of athlete health (IOC Research Centres).https://bjsm.bmj.comhj2024Sports MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein
Conference contributions by section members of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI) at international IUSSI conferences (1952–2022) are not in accordance with membership numbers
Full text linkDATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT: All data is available in the supplementary material.Scientific conferences are of immense importance to scientists, but the resulting benefits are only available to those scientists
who can actually attend scientific meetings. So far, research at scientific conferences is mostly presented and discussed by
researchers from the Global North, while researchers from the Global South are largely excluded due to various reasons.
Over the past 70 years, the International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI), which is organized in 11 sections
based on geography, has organized 19 international congresses. We reveal a non-equitable distribution of members with
researchers from Asia and Africa being under-represented among IUSSI members. During the period from 1952 to 2022
conference contributions at IUSSI conferences came from 79 countries across the globe with members from the African
and the South American continent being under-represented. Furthermore, we reveal that it does matter where a conference
takes place, as contributions from authors with an afliation to a particular continent always increase when the conference
takes place on that continent. The fndings suggest a notable lack of representations from certain regions in key scientifc
gatherings, highlighting the need for greater inclusivity in the academic community.The University of Pretoria and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.https://www.springer.com/journal/40Zoology and EntomologySDG-04:Quality EducationSDG-10:Reduces inequalitie
Non-motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease : underdiagnosed yet important
Full text linkNon-motor fluctuations (NMFs) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) significantly affect patients’ well-being. Despite being identified over two decades ago, NMFs remain largely underrecognized, undertreated, and poorly understood. While they are often temporally associated with motor fluctuations (MFs) and can share common risk factors and pathophysiologic mechanisms, NMFs and MFs are currently considered distinct entities. The prevalence and severity of NMFs, often categorized into neuropsychiatric, sensory, and autonomic subtypes, vary significantly across studies due to the heterogeneous PD populations screened and the diverse evaluation tools applied. The consistent negative impact of NMFs on PD patients’ quality of life underscores the importance of further investigations via focused and controlled studies, validated assessment instruments and novel digital technologies. High-quality research is essential to illuminate the complex pathophysiology and clinical nuances of NMFs, ultimately enhancing clinicians’ diagnostic and treatment options in routine clinical practice.https://www.e-jmd.org/articles/archive.phphj2024NeurologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein
South Africa’s chicken wars
Full text linkSouth Africa’s poultry industry has been fighting a war on imports since 1999. The battles in this war include the use of anti-dumping, significantly increased customs duties, SPS measures in the form of full country-bans against outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and a free trade agreement safeguard measure against imports from the European Union (EU). Anti-dumping duties against the United States have been in place since 1999 and were recently extended to 2029, while anti-dumping duties are also in place against imports from Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK. Customs duties on whole birds have been increased from 27% to 82%, and for frozen bone-in portions from 18% to 62%. Once there is an HPAI outbreak in a country, all imports from that country are banned without the application of regionalism, and the ban sometimes remains in place as long as two years after the outbreak has been brought under control. South Africa also imposed a free trade agreement safeguard for four years on poultry imported from the EU. All of these measures have combined to make poultry one of the most protected industries in South Africa.http://www.kluwerlawonline.com/journalofworldtradehj2024Mercantile LawSDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-17:Partnerships for the goal
Persons with disabilities in the Christian church: a scoping review on the impact of expressions of compassion and justice on their inclusion and participation
No full textDespite the recognition of societal inclusion as a human right, persons with disabilities face many barriers preventing their participation in mainstream Christian denominations. A scoping review was conducted to map the relevant literature to explore the Christian Church’s expressions of compassion and/or justice toward persons with disabilities, and how this impacts their inclusion and participation. The findings confirm the paucity of literature addressing this phenomenon, as well as the under-representation of persons with disabilities in research concerning their own interests. Four nested themes reflect the harmful effects of misplaced pity and insufficient justice toward persons with disabilities, revealing evidence of oppression, expressed through stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination – all perceived to hinder their meaningful participation in the body of Christ. Knowledge gaps concerning the lived experiences of persons with disabilities in this setting were identified and recommended for future research.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wrdh212025-03-22hj2024Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC)SDG-10:Reduces inequalitie
Investigating the resilience and challenges of informal street traders in South Africa's tourism sector : a focus on migrant entrepreneurship
Full text linkSelling products and services to tourists is often the main or sole source of
income for local and migrant informal traders participating in the tourism
sector in developing countries. However, they are vulnerable to
exogenous shocks, with the COVID-19 pandemic a recent example.
During COVID-19, international travel and domestic movement bans
affected the livelihoods of many local and migrant informal traders,
with the absence of government support exacerbating the plight of
migrant traders in particular. This study provides valuable insights into
the challenges faced by informal traders in three of South Africa’s main
tourist cities against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a
concurrent mixed-methods approach, the study explores how migrant
and non-migrant entrepreneurs navigated the crisis. This research not
only highlights the critical role of resilience and other survival strategies
for especially migrant traders but also offers practical implications for
the recognition of their resilience and the contribution of both local
and migrant traders to job creation withing the realms of the informal
tourism sector. This study extends resilience theory by applying it
within the socio-economic context of the tourism sector of an
important migration destination on the African continent.The University of Pretoria.https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rcit20Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)SDG-08:Decent work and economic growthSDG-10:Reduces inequalitie