Adaptability of Assistive Mobility Devices and the Role of the Internet of Medical Things: Comprehensive Review.

Background: With the projected upsurge in the percentage of people with some form of disability, there has been a significant increase in the need for assistive mobility devices. However, for mobility aids to be effective, such devices should be adapted to the user's needs. This can be achieved by improving the confidence of the acquired information (interaction between the user, the environment, and the device) following design specifications.

Bridelia ferruginea Benth. (Euphorbiaceae) mitigates oxidative imbalance and lipotoxicity, with concomitant modulation of insulin signaling pathways via GLUT4 upregulation in hepatic tissues of diabetic rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Bridelia ferruginea Benth. (Euphorbiaceae) is among the medicinal plants commonly used for the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications.

Aim Of The Study: The hepato-therapeutic effect of the butanol fraction of Bridelia ferruginea leaves was investigated in diabetic rats.

A review on the medicinal potential, toxicology, and phytochemistry of litchi fruit peel and seed.

The perception that many fruit wastes, particularly the peel, contain more phytochemicals than the edible portions has been largely supported by scientific evidence, making them potential sources of bioactive and therapeutic phytochemicals. The peel and seed of Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) contain bioactive principles and have been shown to exhibit antioxidative, antidiabetic, cancer preventive, anti-obesogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Investigating the prevention and mitigatory role of risk communication in the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of Bloemfontein, South Africa.

The South African disaster response activities surpass risk reduction since the implementation of the 57 of 2002 (DMA) and the of 2005 (NDMF). Risk reduction, in particular risk communication, remained unexploited until the occurrence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The legislation and policy mandate a proactive approach for disaster management, requiring a focus on disaster risk reduction.

Translational suppression of SARS-COV-2 ORF8 protein mRNA as a Viable therapeutic target against COVID-19: Computational studies on potential roles of isolated compounds from Clerodendrum volubile leaves.

The open reading frame 8 (ORF8) protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been implicated in the onset of cytokine storms, which are responsible for the pathophysiology of COVID-19 infection. The present study investigated the potential of isolated compounds from Clerodendrum volubile leaves to stall oxidative bursts in vitro and interact with ORF8 mRNA segments of the SARS-CoV-2 whole genome using computational tools. Five compounds, namely, harpagide, 1-(3-methyl-2-butenoxy)-4-(1-propenyl)benzene, ajugoside, iridoid glycoside and erucic acid, were isolated from C.

Microbiomics in Collusion with the Nervous System in Carcinogenesis: Diagnosis, Pathogenesis and Treatment.

The influence of the naturally occurring population of microbes on various human diseases has been a topic of much recent interest. Not surprisingly, continuously growing attention is devoted to the existence of a gut brain axis, where the microbiota present in the gut can affect the nervous system through the release of metabolites, stimulation of the immune system, changing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier or activating the vagus nerves. Many of the methods that stimulate the nervous system can also lead to the development of cancer by manipulating pathways associated with the hallmarks of cancer.

Durability Assessment and Microstructure of High-Strength Performance Bricks Produced from PET Waste and Foundry Sand.

Fired clay brickwork in buildings is prone to cracks and deterioration upon exposure to long-time acidic contamination and water absorption, hence decreasing the bearing capacity of masonry walls. As its contribution toward resolving this challenge, this study assessed the durability and morphological characteristics of high-strength performance bricks produced from a mixture of PET waste (PW) and foundry sand (FS). The PET waste bricks (PWBs) were produced through different proportioning (PW: FS) of 20%, 30%, and 40% of the dry mass of FS.

Mechanical properties of cellulose nanofibril papers and their bionanocomposites: A review.

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) paper has various applications due to its unique advantages. Herein, we present the intrinsic mechanical properties of CNF papers, along with the preparation and properties of nanoparticle-reinforced CNF composite papers. The literature on CNF papers reveals a strong correlation between the intrafibrillar network structure and the resulting mechanical properties.

Ethnobotanical, phytochemical, toxicology and anti-diabetic potential of Senna occidentalis (L.) link; A review.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Senna occidentalis (L.) Link is a plant that has been used in medicine in some African countries, Asia and America. It is mainly used in Ayurvedic medicine in India.

Radiography students achieving competencies through structured interprofessional education.

Introduction: Interprofessional education (IPE) takes place when representatives of at least two professions work and learn together, about and from each other to provide optimal healthcare. For the successful implementation of an IPE programme, conceptualisation, planning, and operationalisation and coordination among the various professions is crucial, to assist students to obtain the desired competencies of such a programme. The purpose is to investigate if a structured IPE programme assisted radiography students to achieve competencies.

Evaluation of organochlorine pesticide residues in , , and in Bloemfontein markets, South Africa.

This study evaluated the level of selected pesticide residues in the staple vegetables;   .  (cabbage), .  (Swiss chard), and   (potato) from fresh produce markets in the city of Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Local diagnostic reference levels for routine chest X-ray examinations at a public sector hospital in central South Africa.

Background: Dose optimisation is a radiation protection guideline recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) for adherence to the 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) principle. Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are used to optimise patients' radiation protection for diagnostic and interventional procedures and are particularly useful for frequently performed examinations such as chest X-rays.

Aim: To establish the local diagnostic reference levels (LDRLs) for routine chest X-rays.

Application of culture, PCR, and PacBio sequencing for determination of microbial composition of milk from subclinical mastitis dairy cows of smallholder farms.

Mastitis is a cow disease usually signalized by irritation, swelling, and soreness of the udder. It is characterized by physical, chemical, and biological changes in the udder and milk. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize pathogens causing subclinical mastitis (SCM) from the milk of dairy cows of small-scale farmers through culture and molecular techniques.

Comparison of the function and structural integrity of cryopreserved pulmonary homografts versus decellularized pulmonary homografts after 180 days implantation in the juvenile ovine model.

Homograft availability and durability remain big challenges. Increasing the post-mortem ischaemic harvesting time beyond 24 h increases the potential donor pool. Cryopreservation, routinely used to preserve homografts, damages the extracellular matrix (ECM), contributing to valve degeneration.

Nutritional and phytochemical profile of pomegranate ("Wonderful variety") peel and its effects on hepatic oxidative stress and metabolic alterations.

The peel of pomegranate fruit contains antioxidant phytochemicals that may potentiate health benefits but remain under-explored. We evaluated the antioxidant, nutritional and phytochemical profiles of the peel of the "Wonderful" variety pomegranate and its influence on oxidative metabolic alterations in hepatic tissue. The peel contained appreciable amounts of some beneficial trace minerals and both essential and non-essential amino acids.

Establishing ionising radiation safety culture during interventional cardiovascular procedures.

Introduction: The safety culture of an interventional laboratory was investigated in terms of the application of the three cardinal principles of radiation protection, namely distance, time and shielding.

Methods: The application of these principles was observed and recorded with a radiation safety-culture checklist that was compiled by consulting international recommendations. The checklist evaluated the optimal compliance, especially with reference to monitoring of staff exposure, distance from the X-ray source, fluoroscopy techniques pertaining to frame rate, protective devices and personal shielding.

Additive Manufacturing of Ti-Based Intermetallic Alloys: A Review and Conceptualization of a Next-Generation Machine.

TiAl-based intermetallic alloys have come to the fore as the preferred alloys for high-temperature applications. Conventional methods (casting, forging, sheet forming, extrusion, etc.) have been applied to produce TiAl intermetallic alloys.

Strawberry fruit (Fragaria x ananassa Romina) juice attenuates oxidative imbalance with concomitant modulation of metabolic indices linked to male infertility in testicular oxidative injury.

This study investigated the protective properties of strawberry fruit on testicular oxidative injury. Oxidative injury was induced in vitro in testicular tissue homogenates by incubation with ferrous sulphate (FeSO ) in the presence and absence of strawberry fruit extract (SFE) for 30 min at 37˚C, with gallic acid serving as the standard antioxidant drug. Induction of oxidative injury significantly reduced glutathione, cholesterol and triglyceride levels; and inhibited SOD, catalase and ENTPDase activities when compared to normal control.

GC-MS metabolomics reveals dysregulated lipid metabolic pathways and metabolites in diabetic testicular toxicity: Therapeutic potentials of raffia palm (Raphia hookeri G. Mann & H. Wendl) wine.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Raffia palm (Raphia hookeri G. Mann & H. Wendl) wine (RPW) is a natural beverage obtained from the R.

Pavement Quality Index Rating Strategy Using Fracture Energy Analysis for Implementing Smart Road Infrastructure.

Developing a responsive pavement-management infrastructure system is of paramount importance, accentuated by the quest for sustainability through adoption of the Road Traffic Management System. Technological advances have been witnessed in developed countries concerning the development of smart, sustainable transportation infrastructure. However, the same cannot be said of developing countries.

Effect of gamma irradiation on nucleolar activity in root tip cells of tetraploid Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L.

Ionizing irradiation induces positive or negative changes in plant growth (M1) depending on the amount of irradiation applied to seeds or plant parts. The effect of 50-350 Gy gamma irradiation of kernels on nucleolar activity, as an indicator of metabolic activity, in root tip cells of tetraploid wheat Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L.

Interspecific competition in germination of bird-dispersed seeds in a habitat with sparse tree vegetation in South Africa.

Background: By transporting and scarifying the seeds during ingestion, avian frugivores reduce the competition with siblings, and may improve the germination which is critical for dispersal effectiveness and population recruitment. However, generally, there is limited knowledge on how deposited seeds interact/compete in the new microsite. We tested the hypothesis that the bird-dispersed seeds benefit from improved germination after their passage through the bird's gut; and we investigated the potential impact of seed density on competition at the microsites by determining whether seed density and species diversity influence germination in the Free State Province, South Africa.

Vanillic acid-Zn(II) complex: a novel complex with antihyperglycaemic and anti-oxidative activity.

Objectives: Our aim was to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the antihyperglycaemic and anti-oxidative properties of a new Zn(II) complex of vanillic acid.

Methods: The complex was synthesized using ZnSO4.7H2O and vanillic acid as precursors.

Alarm features as predictors of major findings in a rural South African upper endoscopic service.

Background: Alarm features are commonly used to identify patients who require an endoscopy to rule out significant upper-gastrointestinal (GI) pathology. Validation of these features in a rural South African (SA) setting has implications for the provision of endoscopy services and was the aim of this study.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 1 000 consecutive endoscopies performed at a rural SA regional/ referral hospital over three years.

Protects Against Oxidative Cardiotoxicity by Suppressing Lipid Dysmetabolism and Modulating Cardiometabolic Activities Linked to Cardiac Dysfunctions.

Cardiotoxicity leading to cardiovascular dysfunction and ultimately cardiac failure remains a major global health issue irrespective of race, age and country. Several factors including lipotoxicity, oxidative imbalance, exacerbated angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and altered bioenergetics have been implicated in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. (E.