University of the Witwatersrand

Effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment in individuals exposed to silica or with silicosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global problem affecting large numbers of workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica. Both silicosis and exposure to silica without silicosis increase the risk of active TB. While some studies have suggested that silicotuberculosis (silicosis plus TB)...

Restoring microbial relations and landscapes: a relational conceptual framework for fermentation, culture, and health equity

Introduction: Biodiversity decline in both external environments and internal human microbiomes indicates disrupted relationships between humans, microbes, food systems, and ecological landscapes. These interconnected landscapes are important for global health and sustainability...

Participant attrition in a multi-regional population-based study in Africa: insights from the AWI-Gen study

Attrition in longitudinal studies, defined as the loss of participants over time, may threaten the validity of study results. This study examined patterns, magnitude, and risk factors for attrition in the AWI-Gen cohort. The study included 12,032 participants from six African sit...

Analysing the linguistic landscape and status of indigenous languages at Wits School of Education

This study examines the linguistic landscape of the Wits University School of Education campus, with a focus on the representation and status of indigenous languages, specifically isiZulu and Sesotho, within the framework of the institution’s multilingualism policy. Employing a s...

Patient’s perceived quality of care in South Africa’s public health sector

South Africa’s Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance (ICRM) programme aims to enhance the quality of care at the primary healthcare (PHC) level. Patients' perceptions of care quality are becoming increasingly important in assessing and reforming healthcare services. We investi...

Mechanically Dynamic and Immuno-Instructive Biomaterials: Converging Strategies to Direct Cell Fate in Regenerative Microenvironments

Tissue regeneration is influenced by the dynamic interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), in which the repair outcomes are collectively determined by the evolving mechanical properties and strictly regulated immune responses. Conventional biomaterials, which...