University of Cape Town

New thinking for the next generation of antimalarials

Despite decades of intensive research and substantial clinical gains, malaria remains a major global health challenge exacerbated by the continued emergence of drug-resistant strains of the causative agent, Plasmodium parasites. Encouragingly, recent advances in functional genomi...

The Transition to Mental Health Services From the Perspectives of Neurodivergent Young People, Caregivers and Mental Health Professionals: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Approach

Abstract Purpose The prevalence of mental health conditions is increasing globally, with mental health difficulties the leading cause of disability for young people aged 12 to 25 years. Neurodivergent young people are up to three times more likely to develop a co-occurring mental...

Development and validation of the personal recovery scale (ReConnect) for mental health in Ethiopia

Background: Socio-cultural context is crucial for conceptualising personal recovery in mental health, but existing measures are from Western, high-income countries. Aim: To develop and validate a mental health personal recovery measure for people with mental health conditions in...

Utility of Face2Gene’s DeepGestalt and D-Score applications in paediatric neurodevelopmental disorders in South Africa

Abstract Face2Gene is a clinical tool that leverages facial features to aid genetic diagnosis. The DeepGestalt application suggests potential diagnoses based on facial similarity, while the D-Score evaluates likelihood of an individual having dysmorphic features suggestive of a p...

Feasibility and acceptability of a compassion-focused program to support staff, improve workflows and enhance the clinic environment in South African primary health clinics with low ART retention

South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic globally. Despite improvement, retention on antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains challenging. We used a positive deviance (PD) approach to develop a program called Connect designed to increase retention in HIV care by improving the staff...

Deep learning aging marker from retinal images unveils sex-specific clinical and genetic signatures

Abstract Retinal fundus images offer a non-invasive window into systemic aging. Here, we fine-tune a foundation model (RETFound) to predict chronological age from color fundus images in 71,343 participants from the UK Biobank, achieving a mean absolute error of 2.85 years. The re...

Deep learning super-resolution of paediatric ultra-low-field MRI without paired high-field scans

ABSTRACT Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for diagnosis and neurodevelopmental research, but the high cost and infrastructure demands of high-field MRI limit its use to high-income settings. Ultra-low-field MRI scanners offer a more affordable and energy-effici...

Modeling the cooling influence of the Agulhas Current System on the heritage day floods at Theewaterskloof Dam, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract The heritage day floods of 23–26 September 2023 were among the most severe hydrological events to impact the Western Cape, South Africa, causing widespread inundation, infrastructure damage, and loss of life. Understanding how ocean–atmosphere interactions influence floo...

High-Risk Clones of Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in India: Genome and Traits

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a notorious opportunistic pathogen constituting a major cause of health care-associated infections worldwide. Intrinsic resistance to multiple antibiotics, with acquired resistance mechanisms and hypervirulence make it a critical target for genomic inves...

Strengthening existing climate services and prioritising new opportunities for nature-based solutions

Abstract Co-production is essential for usable and useful climate services, yet expert-driven, supply-side approaches and limited engagement persist. We investigate the relationship between users’ current climate-service use and desired needs for completely new climate services f...

Propionic Acid Remodels Mitochondrial Metabolism in SH-SY5Y Cells

Mitochondrial mechanisms are increasingly implicated in complex neurological conditions, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Propionic acid (PPA) is widely used to study mitochondrial dysfunction in preclinical models of ASD. However, the molecular mechanisms that drive PPA...

A complete correspondence between the Newman–Penrose and 1+1+2 formalisms

Abstract We establish a correspondence between the Newman–Penrose and 1+1+2 semitetrad covariant formalisms by expressing all Newman–Penrose spin coefficients, Ricci scalars, and Weyl scalars in terms of the scalar, vector, and tensor variables of the 1+1+2 decomposition. In addi...

Prospecting MeerKAT Continuum Data for Enigmatic Radio Sources with Unsupervised Vector-Quantised Variational Autoencoders

Abstract We present a novel application of Vector quantised variational autoencoders (VQ-VAEs) as an unsupervised tool to probe deep 1.28 GHz radio continuum images taken from the MeerKAT Galaxy Cluster Legacy Survey (MGCLS) and compare their performance to other machine learning...

Are AI language models scientific models of language?

Abstract There has been a recent surge of philosophical interest in AI large language models (LLMs) and their relevance for the understanding of human language. In this article, we take the perspective of the philosophy of science on modelling in general to consider whether LLMs...

The causal effect of drought on energy poverty

<title>Abstract</title> We use nationally representative panel data from rural areas and small towns in Ethiopia, matched with fine-resolution weather data, to investigate the impact of drought on energy poverty. Energy poverty is measured using the Multidimensional Energy Povert...

The Role of Meso-level Organizations in Climate Adaptation for Small-Scale Producers in Sub-Saharan Africa-insights from four African Countries

<title>Abstract</title> This analysis examines the meso-level organizations (MLOs) that are core climate change adaptation (CCA) actors responsible for interweaving micro-level rural community needs with macro-level policy and finance intentions, using qualitative data from four...

Validation of the AO Spine Osteoporotic Fracture Classification—effect of geographical region on reliability and reproducibility

Regional differences affect the reliability of the AO Spine-DGOU Osteoporotic Fracture Classification. European participants showed the highest agreement. This study underscores the need for addressing regional factors to improve the system’s global clinical utility. To evaluate...

Histoplasmosis in India: a systematic review of reported cases

BACKGROUND: Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by Histoplasma capsulatum and is increasingly recognised in India, but its epidemiology, clinical spectrum, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes remain poorly characterised. We conducted a systematic review of reporte...

Does the AMPD1 C34T Polymorphism Influence Physical Performance in Elite Athletes?

Background/Objectives: Adenosine monophosphate deaminase deficiency has been implicated in impaired exercise capacity. We examined whether the AMPD1 C34T (rs17602729) genotype was associated with athlete status and performance in distance runners (DR) and rugby union (RU) athlete...

One in seven has severe pain: a point-prevalence study of hospitalised patients across Africa

ABSTRACT: Acute pain in hospitalised patients is common, yet African data are scarce. We conducted a prospective point-prevalence study of hospitalised adult patients across Africa to determine acute pain prevalence and severity and investigate associations of pain with critical...