Digital mental health interventions for adolescents and young people (10-24 years) in Africa: A protocol for a systematic review of mental health outcomes, engagement, and equity considerations.

Background: Adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 10-24 years in Africa experience a high burden of mental health disorders but face significant barriers to accessing care, including a severe shortage of mental health professionals, stigma, and limited integration of mental health services into primary healthcare. Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer a promising avenue to bridge these gaps by providing accessible, scalable, and potentially equitable support. However, little is known about the effectiveness, acceptability, and equity impacts of these interventions among African AYP.

Strategies for overcoming barriers to engagement in continuing professional development (CPD) activities in radiography: Exploratory study in Malawi.

Introduction: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) involves the systematic maintenance, improvement, and broadening of knowledge, skills, and personal qualities necessary for executing professional and technical duties throughout a professional's work life. Radiographers must stay up to date with the latest knowledge and technological advancements to maintain best practices. Previous studies have highlighted time constraints, a lack of motivation and insufficient resources as barriers to engaging in CPD activities among radiographers.

Consensus on addressing HIV-related stigma and achieving the societal enabler targets using an adapted Delphi process.

Objectives: To seek consensus among global experts on concepts, measures and approaches to guide national and global action to address HIV-related stigma and formulate a call to action. This outlines priorities to unite actors in more effectively responding to and resourcing efforts to address HIV-related stigma.

Design: An adapted Delphi consensus-building process using two rounds of online questionnaires.

Testicular tumors in men aged 60 years or older undergoing orchiectomy.

Background: Testicular tumors are rare, particularly in aged men. Indeed, germ cell tumors occur mostly in the young population. Importantly, few studies have systematically characterized testicular tumors, other than lymphomas and spermatocytic tumor, diagnosed in the elderly.

Assessing technical aspects and vulnerabilities from Tswaing informal settlement in Hammanskraal, South Africa.

Unlabelled: The increasing frequency of hazards such as floods, droughts, socio-political unrest, emerging diseases and rising temperatures has affected South Africa. In line with the Sendai Framework Principles (2015-2030), which anticipate that these hazards can deplete local resources and lead to disaster declarations, this empirical study investigated community vulnerabilities in Tswaing informal settlement during South Africa's dry winter season. Researchers collaborated with community leaders and officials from the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to gain access to the study area.

Factors influencing the desire to limit childbearing among in-union women in selected Southern African countries: A pooled analysis.

High fertility strains national resources, making it crucial to understand factors influencing women's desire to limit childbearing. This study examined the socio-demographic factors associated with in-union women's desire to limit childbearing using Demographic and Health Survey data from Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. A weighted sample of 47669 women aged 15-49 was analysed using binary logistic regression.

Improving Access to Radiotherapy in Gauteng: A Framework for Equitable Cancer Care.

Radiotherapy, a critical component of cancer treatment, faces significant challenges in Gauteng, South Africa. These disparities hinder the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, primarily due to systemic issues, socioeconomic barriers, and limitations within the health system. This article presents the House framework, designed to enhance access to radiotherapy services by integrating the WHO Health Systems framework with the dimensions of access proposed by Penchansky and Thomas.

Direct medical costs of paediatric diaphyseal femoral fracture treatment in a public academic hospital in South Africa.

Background: There is relatively little literature into the cost of treating diaphyseal femur fractures in paediatric population. This study aims to determine the cost of managing paediatric diaphyseal femur fractures in a South African Academic Hospital.

Objective And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using prospectively collected data on paediatric diaphyseal femoral fracture treatment at our public academic hospital over a four-month duration.

Bilateral symmetrical brachymetacarpia of the ring fingers: a case report.

Brachymetacarpia is the term for the shortening of the digit as a result of the metacarpal shortening. Isolated idiopathic brachymetacarpia is rarely reported in African countries, and its incidence is still unknown in the literature compared to brachymetatarsia, which is extensively reported. We report an uncommon case of a 26-year-old male patient who presented with short, symmetrical ring fingers without an associated medical condition.

Therapeutic-dose heparin combined with antiplatelets in noncritically ill patients with COVID-19: a secondary analysis of a multiplatform randomized controlled trial.

Background: Therapeutic-dose heparin improves outcomes in noncritically ill patients hospitalized for COVID-19. The effect of antiplatelet exposure in addition to therapeutic-dose heparin is unknown.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of antiplatelet exposure in addition to therapeutic-dose heparin on survival without organ support.

A rare case of intercostal-to-pulmonary artery fistula and its endovascular treatment in the setting of post pulmonary tuberculosis bronchiectasis and haemoptysis.

Unlabelled: Intercostal artery-to-pulmonary artery fistula is an extremely rare variant of systemic artery-to-pulmonary artery fistulas (SA-PAFs). A case of a 38-year-old man presenting with clinically significant haemoptysis secondary to an intercostal artery-to-pulmonary artery fistula in the setting of post-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) bronchiectasis is described. The fistulae were successfully treated with endovascular coils.

The unintended outcome: a retrospective cross-sectional study using a urine lateral flow assay to detect ART use reveals non-disclosure of taking ART in South Africa's public health system.

Introduction: Differentiated service delivery (DSD) models for HIV and tuberculosis (TB) care prioritize efficient resource allocation and targeted interventions, and benefit from accurate assessment of patients' antiretroviral therapy (ART) pill-taking status. Accurate ART use identification is essential for ensuring proper care transition services rather than unnecessary initiation. A point-of-care urine tenofovir (TFV) assay may identify undisclosed ART use in settings with high rates of TB and HIV coinfection.

Bilateral Open Achilles Tendon Complete Lacerations Following Interpersonal Violence: A Case Report.

Interpersonal violence victims account for a sizable proportion of trauma cases encountered in South African trauma centers. Open Achilles tendon injuries are more prevalent in male patients, accounting for a high number of all cases. A 45-year-old male was brought in a trauma casualty by a paramedic after being referred by a local clinic in severe pain on both ankles, unable to walk or stand, and dressed bilaterally with blood stains.

Biofilm characterisation of the maize rot-causing pathogen, .

Biofilm formation was investigated in a maize rot-causing pathogen, . This work revealed that cultures produce structured, adherent communities with a dense extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding hyphae that makes up the biomass of a matured biofilm. Pellicle containing exopolysaccharide had a hydrodynamic diameter of 4.

Exploring hypermasculinity as a moderator between sexual violence victimization and adverse mental health effects among sentenced incarcerated men.

Sexual assault is a common occurrence among incarcerated men in correctional facilities, and severely impacts the psychological well-being of the victim. We explored hypermasculinity as a moderator between sexual violence (SV) victimization and consequent mental health outcomes (prototypic and masculine depression, alcohol use and drug use) among incarcerated men in Tshwane, South Africa. A convenience sample of 160 incarcerated men self-completed two questionnaires: Questionnaire 1, completed during their incarceration, included themes such as demographics, incarceration-related characteristics, and involvement in physical fighting, and Questionnaire 2, completed at least two months post their release from incarceration, included themes such as demographics, gang affiliation, hypermasculinity, SV victimization, misuse of substances and/or alcohol, prototypic depression and masculine depression.

The impact of insufficient resources on the quality-of-service delivery at a primary healthcare clinic in Limpopo.

Background:  Insufficient resources at healthcare clinics pose a serious problem, undermining the quality-of-service delivery and negatively affecting the patients as recipients of care and the staff as providers of care. The shortages often result in extended waiting periods, delayed implementation of nursing interventions, prolonged hospitalisation and the potential of increased nosocomial infections.

Objectives:  To explore and describe the impact of insufficient resources on the quality-of-service delivery at a primary healthcare clinic in Limpopo.

Exposure to outdoor aerospora and associated respiratory health risks among adults in Potchefstroom, North-West province, South Africa.

Background: Data on allergic rhinitis and respiratory health metrics are limited for South Africa, with grass pollen as a key outdoor aeroallergen. Exotic trees such as plane trees and ragweed produce highly allergenic pollen, dominating indigenous trees and weeds. Pollen allergy prevalence data is lacking in cities of North-West province such as Potchefstroom.

Development and validation of a real-time PCR assay, and phylogenetic analysis of Anaplasma platys.

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by species of the genus Anaplasma. In dogs anaplasmosis is caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys. These bacteria are in the family Anaplasmataceae in the order Rickettsiales.

Improving Access to Radiotherapy: Exploring Structural Quality Indicators for Radiotherapy in Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Background: Radiotherapy is a critical component of effective cancer treatment, yet access remains limited in many low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa. This study explores structural quality indicators influencing radiotherapy access in Gauteng province, a region with a dual public-private healthcare system.

Methods: A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods approach using a descriptive cross-sectional study was employed; for the quantitative phase, data from public and private radiotherapy facilities was analysed, and for the qualitative phase, insights were obtained from interviews with the heads of departments and members of three multidisciplinary professions in radiation oncology, namely radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, and medical physicists.

Improving Access to Radiotherapy Services in Gauteng: Quantitative Analysis of Key Time Intervals from Diagnosis to Treatment.

Background: Timely access to radiotherapy is crucial for optimal cancer treatment outcomes, as delays in receiving treatment can lead to disease progression and decreased chances of survival. Healthcare systems need to prioritise efficient scheduling and coordination of radiotherapy services to ensure patients receive timely care. This study aims to quantitatively analyse the key time intervals in the cancer care continuum, specifically from diagnosis to the start of radiotherapy treatment in Gauteng.

Simultaneous traumatic bilateral femur fractures in the paediatric population: Case report.

Introduction: Paediatric femur fractures are well described. Simultaneous bilateral femur fractures are a much more rare occurrence with limited literature on their incidence, treatment protocol and outcomes. This case report outlines the radiological and clinical outcomes of bilateral femur fractures which were managed surgically in our institution.

Longitudinal analysis of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood of treatment-naïve first-episode psychosis patients, and their correlation with psychosis severity and cognitive impairment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Inflammation is indicated as one of the factors that play a role in the development of schizophrenia, with several studies having found considerable inconsistencies in their results. Few have investigated the role of inflammation in primary psychosis in blood and cerebrospinal fluids simultaneously, the aim of this study being to investigate the expression of blood and cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory cytokines in treatment-naive first-episode psychotic participants.

Methods And Analysis: This is a combined cross-sectional and prospective observational study, which is currently taking place in Durban, South Africa, will recruit 60 participants (30 cases and 30 matched controls).

Molecular and immunohistochemical characterization of ERBB2 activating mutations in low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Aims: Low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC) of the ovary presents unique therapeutic challenges due to its resistance to platinum-based chemotherapies and a tendency to present at an advanced stage. Approximately 50% of LGSC possess activating mutations in KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF, a finding associated with better overall survival. However, many tumours lack obvious driver alterations against which to direct targeted treatment strategies, necessitating further investigation into molecular drivers of LGSC and their impact on clinical outcomes.

Changes to the Haematological Parameters of Rat Offspring Born From High Fat High Carbohydrate (HFHC) Diet-Induced Prediabetic and Preeclamptic Sprague Dawley Rats: Assessing the Effects on Selected Haematological Markers.

Introduction: Infants delivered from preeclamptic pregnancies frequently exhibit developmental programming which leads to foetal growth restriction and foetal haematological abnormalities. Diabetes is recognised as a predisposing factor for preeclampsia (PE). Hyperglycaemia, a characteristic feature of pregestational type 2 diabetes, has been associated with the pathogenesis of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), a condition associated with disrupted foetal haematological pathways.