Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Naseer Ally, Hassan Dawood Alli, Trishal Jeeva-Patel, Andre Mochan, Eitzaz Sadiq, Ismail Mayet, Marianne Kuenast, Leisha Rajkumar
Summary: This study aims to assess the presentation and outcome of optic neuritis patients in a South African setting, representing one of the few cohort studies in Sub-Saharan Africa. The hope is that it will lead to better insights and potentially a predictive model for good visual outcome.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jusse Hirwa, Alexander Zolan, William Becker, Tuelay Flamand, Alexandra Newman
Summary: Lack of reliable energy access is a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to the use of back-up generators. A mixed-integer linear programming model is used to optimize the design and dispatch decisions for distributed generation systems, considering renewable energy and storage technologies. The results show that optimal solutions can address reliability challenges and save millions of dollars. The study also highlights the sensitivity of total cost to changes in electrical demand, capital and fuel costs, and the potential of integrating absorption chillers in designs.
Article
Economics
Juliette Alenda-Demoutiez
Summary: Official statistics are not natural products, as their purpose, meaning, and interpretation evolve over time and space in relation to social and political aspects. Despite growing criticism of indicators, there is still little understanding of the quantification process itself, especially in non-Western countries. Understanding quantification processes in different contexts is crucial, especially as statistics are widely used in the development field.
NEW POLITICAL ECONOMY
(2022)
Article
Surgery
S. R. Cacala, H. Farrow, S. Makhanya, D. G. Couch, M. Joffe, L. Stopforth
Summary: The study showed that breast cancer research workers as de facto breast cancer nurses had a significant impact on the treatment compliance and surgical interventions for breast cancer patients, highlighting the need for breast cancer nurses in the management of breast cancer patients in South Africa.
WORLD JOURNAL OF SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Communication
Elizabeth Burch
Summary: This study focuses on environmental communications in the South Pacific and examines how islanders use social media to combat global warming, challenging biased representations in Australian media. Social media serves as a novel platform for counter-hegemonic resistance.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION-A JOURNAL OF NATURE AND CULTURE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Angelika Grimbeek, Haroon Saloojee
Summary: This study investigates the mortality, clinical outcomes, and anthropometric recovery of children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) six months following hospital discharge in the Tshwane district of South Africa. The results show lower mortality and morbidity rates compared to other resource-limited settings, but poorer anthropometric recovery than expected. Modifying discharge criteria, optimizing the use of nutritional supplements, and integrating with community-based health and social services may improve outcomes for children with SAM post-hospitalization.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Rudolf M. Oosthuizen, Keitumetse Disemelo, Claude-Helene Mayer
Summary: This research aims to explore the experiences of burnout among Generation Y medical doctors working in a South African public hospital and suggest potential benefits and intervention amendments in a specific cultural context. A phenomenological approach was used in a collective case study, and the level of burnout was quantified using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The findings offer insights for a comprehensive burnout intervention strategy in the South African public hospital, while highlighting culture-specific issues and the neglect of burnout among newly qualified medical doctors and patients in their care. Recommendations were made for future research on PP2.0 interventions and for facilitators working with burnout among newly qualified medical doctors in the South African public hospital.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Linguistics
Vimbai Mbirimi-Hungwe
Summary: The recent shift in language studies has highlighted the benefits of multilingualism in academic settings. This study with South African medical students showed that translanguaging can enhance comprehension of difficult academic concepts in English. Leveraging students' linguistic resources can be an effective way to enhance reading comprehension in multilingual classrooms.
APPLIED LINGUISTICS
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Niki Floudiotis, Girish Modi, Andre Mochan
Summary: In this report, the nature of ALS in a South African cohort of patients with Black African ancestry was described. The study revealed that males constituted 66% of the patients, with an onset age median of 46 years. The spinal onset was predominant, and no familial ALS cases were found.
JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Matias Alarcon, Pedro Soto, Francisco Hernandez, Pablo Guindos
Summary: A low-cost seismic instrumentation system has been implemented and validated for the structural health monitoring of a 6-story light-frame timber building in South America. By coupling the system with relative humidity and temperature measuring system, the researchers are able to investigate the ambient-induced variations of the building's dynamic properties. The system, which utilizes RaspberryShake accelerographs and an auxiliary Raspberry Pi3, has been validated through shake table tests and shows good agreement with conventional measuring systems.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Dennis A. Francis
Summary: This article examines the relationship between race and sexuality in the context of sexual citizenship in South Africa, highlighting the critical role of race, racialisation, and racism in the lives of queer youth. It also points out how race and racism can both normalize heterosexuality in some contexts and challenge its power in others. Recommendations are made for educators and researchers to pay attention to the diversity among queer populations in relation to race and other social identities.
RACE ETHNICITY AND EDUCATION
(2021)
Article
Surgery
Hyla-Louise Kluyts, Wilhelmina Conradie, Estie Cloete, Sandra Spijkerman, Oliver Smith, Ahmed Alli, Modise Z. Koto, Odisang D. Montwedi, Komalan Govender, Larissa Cronje, Mariette Grobbelaar, Jones A. Omoshoro-Jones, Nicolette F. Rorke, Philip Anderson, Alexandra Torborg, Christella Alphonsus, Panagiotis Alexandris, Aunel Mallier Peter, Usha Singh, Johan Diedericks, Busisiwe Mrara, Anthony Reed, Gareth L. Davies, Jody G. Davids, Hendrik A. Van Zyl, Vishendran Govindasamy, Reitze Rodseth, Roel Matos-Puig, Kajake A. P. Bhat, Noel Naidoo, John Roos, Magdalena Jaworska, Annemarie Steyn, Johannes M. Dippenaar, R. M. Pearse, Thandinkosi Madiba, Bruce M. Biccard
Summary: Data on factors influencing mortality after surgery in South Africa are limited, and a predictive model was developed using data from the African Surgical Outcomes Study. Age, ASA Physical Status, urgency of surgery, type of surgery, and surgical specialty were identified as predictors of 30-day in-hospital mortality. The model showed good performance and may be useful for reporting risk-adjusted perioperative mortality rates and prioritizing quality improvement projects.
WORLD JOURNAL OF SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Pediatrics
Sandi L. L. Holgate, Adrie Bekker, Veshni Pillay-Fuentes Lorente, Angela Dramowski
Summary: Antimicrobial prescription and administration-related errors are common in very low birth weight neonates with bloodstream infections. This study found a high prevalence of prescription and administration errors, including dose and dosing interval errors. Delayed hang-time for antimicrobial administration was also observed, which may have a negative impact on the outcomes of neonates with bloodstream infections.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Angela Dramowski, Alexander M. Aiken, Andrea M. Rehman, Yolandi Snyman, Sandra Reuter, Hajo Grundmann, J. Anthony G. Scott, Marlieke E. A. de Kraker, Andrew Whitelaw
Summary: This study aimed to examine the impact of third-generation cephalosporin (3GC) resistance on clinical outcomes in patients with Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections (BSIs) in a hospital in South Africa. The study found that 3GC resistance was associated with non-concordant initial therapy and increased mortality rate.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Andrew Thatcher, Genevieve S. Metson, Motshwaedi Sepeng
Summary: This study applied the Sustainable System-of-Systems framework to understand the use of small in-situ constructed wetlands as greywater treatment infrastructure in urban informal settlements. The study found that the changing nature of parent and sibling systems put pressure on the wetland system, decreasing its capacity to deliver water cleaning services. The lack of a common goal among stakeholders also contributed to the need for adaptation.