University of KwaZulu-Natal

Extensive Use of Ageing Fence Poles in a Protected Area in South Africa by Reptiles and Birds

ABSTRACT Formal protected area management often requires fences and roads, and these can have negative impacts on animals. During many visits to Ndumo Game Reserve, in northwestern KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, the authors noticed substantial numbers of several species of reptiles...

Emergency operation for penetrating thoracic non-cardiac injuries: A 10-year review at a major trauma centre in South Africa

Background and aims: Penetrating thoracic injury is relatively common and is encountered in most trauma centres in South Africa. This study focuses exclusively on patients who required acute operative intervention following penetrating thoracic trauma for a non-cardiac injury. Me...

Deep learning model for infant brain tissue segmentation using 3D patch-wise U-Net with weighted-average reconstruction

Low tissue contrast and motion errors make it difficult to accurately segment gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from baby brain MRI. For automated segmentation of baby brain tissues, this study proposes a 3D patch-wise U-Net architecture with a we...

Correlating Surface Magnetic Field Decay with Internal Field Depth of Isolated Neutron Stars

Abstract The long-term evolution of neutron star crustal magnetic fields through Ohmic decay is governed by the transport properties of the crust. In this work, we demonstrate that the depth at which the magnetic flux is anchored plays a significant role in the dissipation timesc...

Which senses do wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) use to evaluate potential food?

Abstract Traditionally, primates have been considered primarily visual animals. However, studies across a variety of taxa suggest that, in the context of food evaluation, reliance on this sense might be more nuanced that previously thought, with dietary specialization and food it...

Strengthening systems to monitor antibiotics. An action oriented approach

Background Antibiotics have become lynchpins of our modern systems of healthcare, animal health and agriculture. Monitoring the types and volumes of antibiotics distributed, used and discharged across these systems is critical to provide evidence for action. With limited resource...

A Community-Based One Health Solid Waste Management Model in Ward 19, Lupane District, Zimbabwe

Abstract Poor solid waste management is an emerging challenge in many rural communities in Africa, with implications for environmental quality, human health, animal health, and local livelihoods. This case study documents the development and implementation of a community-based On...

The anthropogenic fingerprint on emerging infectious diseases

Abstract Emerging infectious diseases are a hallmark of the Anthropocene 1,2 . Human-driven ecosystem changes and human–wildlife–livestock contact can drive the emergence of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases 3–5 , but how much these processes shape landscapes of outbreak risk is...

Climate change and the rising threat of Macrophomina phaseolina: implications for food security, food safety, and sustainable crop health management

Abstract Macrophomina phaseolina is a destructive soil-borne necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes substantial yield losses in a wide range of economically important crops worldwide. Disease severity is strongly enhanced under drought, high temperature, and salinity stress, co...

A Critical Review of Literature on the Application of Machine Learning Algorithms in Cropland Suitability Modelling

Abstract Land Suitability Analysis (LSA) for is a crucial process for optimizing land use, crop yields, and sustainability. Machine Learning (ML) approaches provide robust alternatives to conventional suitability modelling. This study adopted a critical approach to review the lit...

Mining waste into environmental remediation: sustainable Mg/Fe-LDH derived from Amazonian copper residues for efficient Congo red removal

Abstract The improper disposal of mining residues poses significant environmental challenges, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions such as the Amazon. In this study, Amazonian copper mining residues (ACMR) were employed as a sustainable source of ferric iron (Fe 3 ⁺) fo...

Preparing pre-service teachers for ICT integration: A systematic review with implications for rural South African universities

This study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) spanning 2000 to 2025 to critically investigate the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in pre-service teacher education. Anchored in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTA...

Statistically grounded evaluation of demographic bias in deep facial representations using FairFace and UTKFace

Abstract Deep facial representation learning has achieved remarkable performance in computer vision applications; however, high overall accuracy does not necessarily ensure equitable performance across demographic groups. This study presents a unified framework for evaluating the...

Food assistance for assets: programme reach and household food security in Mudzi District, Zimbabwe

Recurrent drought and constrained productive assets make rural households in Mudzi District vulnerable to food insecurity. This study assessed the reach and accessibility of the Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) programme and described beneficiary-reported food-security outcomes....

Generational changes in lung function in adults from several world regions: results from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study

This study estimated birth cohort effects on lung function using BOLD (Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease) data from 28 569 adults born between 1902 and 1976 across 41 sites in 34 countries. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) and the FEV 1 /FVC...

Modeling multivariate lattice data with Dirichlet process mixture spatial random effects

Many multivariate Bayesian spatial models for joint disease mapping assume Gaussian distributions for the spatial random effects, which can be restrictive when the true distributions are unknown. We develop a nonparametric Bayesian methodology that uses a Dirichlet process mixtur...

Preferred characteristics of long-acting injectable antiretroviral treatment for adolescents with HIV in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a qualitative study of key stakeholders

Adolescents with HIV (AHIV) in South Africa experience poor outcomes across the HIV care continuum. Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LAI-ART) may address key adherence barriers, but its acceptability and feasibility among AHIV remain understudied. As formative quali...

Assessment of suitable land for surface irrigation development in an Ardy watershed, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract Despite its abundant water and land resources, Ethiopia has not fully harnessed its potential for irrigation development. This study assessed suitable land for surface irrigation in the Ardy watershed, Ethiopia, with the goal of utilizing the country’s abundant yet under...

Induction failure and early death in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia in Uganda: a developing country experience

Dose-intensive therapy for paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has improved outcomes in high-income countries (HICs); however, outcomes remain poor in resource-limited settings, where induction failure and early death continue to pose significant challenges. This study aimed...

GPS-Derived Spatial–Temporal Metrics for Characterizing Collective Tactical Behavior in Elite Rugby Union

Spatial–temporal metrics offer a promising framework for quantifying collective tactical behavior in rugby union, yet their application across multiple matches and try-scoring contexts remains limited. Building on a single-match case study introducing these metrics to rugby union...