University of the Witwatersrand

LM and SEM studies of selected southern African Vachellia and Senegalia pollen

A palynological study was carried out on selected and commonly occurring Vachellia and Senegalia species in South Africa. This study aimed to identify pollen morphological characters that distinguish the two African genera and species, thereby enhancing their taxonomic classifica...

The impact of COVID-19 on all-cause mortality and life expectancy: findings from a population-based cohort in uMkhanyakude district, northern KwaZulu-natal

Abstract Background Despite the comprehensive death reporting system in South Africa, significant gaps persist in our understanding of the pandemic’s impact in rural areas. Methods We computed monthly death counts stratified by demographic factors from a population-based demograp...

Aberrant one-carbon metabolism and ancestral genetics underlie edematous severe acute malnutrition

Edematous severe childhood malnutrition is distinct from the non-edematous form of malnutrition and remains a major cause of under-five mortality. Its etiology remains unclear, although aberrant one-carbon metabolism has emerged as a potential contributor. Here, we assess genetic...

Navigating initial Lean Six Sigma adoption: lessons from high-growth, high-tech manufacturing firms

Purpose This study investigates first-time Lean Six Sigma (LSS) adoption in technology-intensive manufacturers undergoing rapid scaling. Prior research largely reflects mature, stable operations and offers limited theory-driven insight into early-stage governance, capability-buil...

Economic evaluation protocol of the Ntshembo (Hope) Trial (RCT) in rural and urban South Africa: an intervention to optimise adolescence body mass index (BMI) pre-conception to address the triple burden of malnutrition

South African adolescent girls face a triple burden of malnutrition, undernutrition alongside overweight/obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies, heightened risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The Ntshembo trial is a South African Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT)...

Determinants of influenza vaccination during the 2021/2022 influenza season in the United States: interactive roles of immunosuppression, cancer diagnosis, and healthcare access barriers

Despite current gains in public health awareness and cost-reduction strategies to accelerate vaccination against influenza during yearly influenza seasons, the U.S. adult population, especially those with immunosuppression and cancer, has yet to achieve its target vaccination rat...

Psychometric analysis of an intersectional stigma scale for women who have experienced intimate partner violence in Botswana

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is pervasive in Botswana. IPV stigma may affect the mental health of women survivors. We developed and validated a new scale for intersectional stigma for women who experienced IPV in Botswana. We used a known-groups design. With interviews held in...

A new megaraptoran dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation, UK, and its implications for theropod evolution and biogeography

Abstract Theropod dinosaur remains from the Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, UK, are rare and often fragmentary. Here, we present a previously undescribed braincase from this formation that represents a new coelurosaurian, Invictibellatrix amber...

Disentangling gender stereotypes and gender inequality in Africa's digital sector

Purpose This paper investigates how gender stereotypes evolve in Africa's digital space and how digital gender inequality can be collaboratively tackled. Design/methodology/approach A two-phase qualitative study was undertaken, involving consultations with 21 experts and intervie...

Respecifying Stigma and the Language of Relationships: Attributes and Categories as Contexturally‐Achieved Phenomena in the Search for Help

This article revisits Goffman's original formulations of stigma. In doing so, the discussion focuses, specifically, upon his emphasis that a “language of relationships, not attributes is needed.” The analysis is intended to demonstrate how Goffman's observations offer a starting...

Nutrient legacies from elephant megacarcasses create coldspots of biodiversity and hotspots of ecosystem processes

Terrestrial megafauna (animals >1,000 kg) have substantial impacts on ecosystems while alive; yet, we know little about the impacts of these ecosystem engineers after they die. Like whale carcasses in the ocean, terrestrial megacarcasses may leave ecological legacies via the nutr...

Selective Nickel Leaching from Cu-Ni Sulfide Ores Using Deep Eutectic Solvents

Traditional hydrometallurgical lixiviants such as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid pose environmental and safety risks due to their corrosive and toxic nature. To advance greener extraction technologies, this study evaluated deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as potential sustainable al...

Exploring learning in classic African board games: a review of recent literature

Abstract A growing body of research on board games demonstrates that these games can function as learning environments and provide opportunities for learning across diverse contexts. Although learning is often conceptualized contextually within this literature, studies increasing...

The Sleepless Watch: Perceived Sleep Quality of Nurses Working in High‐Intensity Settings

ABSTRACT Background Poor sleep quality is a global health concern among nurses, particularly in high‐intensity settings. Unpredictable workloads, extended shifts and high patient acuity compromise sleep quality, negatively affecting nurses' well‐being and patient outcomes. Aim To...

Health system and household costs of preventive treatment delivery for children exposed to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa

Background Tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (TPT) is a core component of TB control. Levofloxacin was recently recommended by the World Health Organization as TPT in children exposed to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). However, the affordability and feasibility of...

Deep diffractive optical neural networks for detecting skyrmionic topologies of light and their live training

Optical skyrmions are topological forms of structured light offering an unbounded encoding alphabet robust to perturbations. However, their practical use is limited by the absence of a topological detector, since states distinguished by their topological invariant, N, are not nec...

Perceptions of preparedness for mental health practice among newly qualified occupational therapists in South Africa

Abstract Background Newly qualified healthcare professionals are often the backbone of service delivery, particularly in resource-constrained settings where workforce shortages persist. In South Africa, newly qualified occupational therapists frequently assume responsibility for...

Neuropsychiatry genetics in Africa

Across Africa, rising mental health needs coincide with rapid advances in genomics, digital health and continental policy reform. Yet research into the genetic, environmental and social determinants of neuropsychiatric illness remains sparse and underfunded. This review argues th...

Agency as Precondition or Purpose? Survival and Relational Equality in Okeja’s Deliberative Agency

Abstract In Deliberative Agency, Okeja offers a vision of politics that re-centres the citizen and their agency – their ability to co-create meaning and purpose together – and so aims to put power back into citizens’ collective hands in a context where many experience powerlessne...

Barriers to and Facilitators of the Implementation of the Central Chronic Medicines Dispensing and Distribution Programme in South Africa: A Scoping Review

South Africa’s (SA) quadruple disease burden comprises communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, maternal and child mortality, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and injury and violence. Two of these components, HIV and NCDs, generate demand for long-term medicines and...