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This paper investigates digital inequalities in usage within African informal sectors. In particular, we examine whether the uneven digital diffusion is embedded in pre‐existing socio‐economic inequalities. After identifying three segments of informal firms, we rely on multivariate and decomposition analyses to identify predictors of usage of digital technologies for business purposes and explain usage gaps between segments. Our findings suggest that digital inequalities are rooted in the vertical heterogeneity of informal sectors, with some firm characteristics significantly predicting professional use of digital technologies. In addition, we find that there are both common and segment‐specific levers for addressing digital inequalities between informal firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The out‐of‐sight groundwater and visible but much less extensive surface waters on land constitute a linked terrestrial water system around the planet. Research is crucial for our understanding of these terrestrial water system links and interactions with other geosystems and key challenges of Earth System change. This study uses a scoping review approach to discuss and identify topical, methodological and geographical gaps and priorities for research on these links and interactions of the coupled ground‐ and surface water (GSW) system at scales of whole‐catchments or greater. Results show that the large‐scale GSW system is considered in just a small part (0.4%–0.8%) of all studies (order of 105 for each topic) of either groundwater or surface water flow, storage, or quality at any scale. While relatively many of the large‐scale GSW studies consider links with the atmosphere or climate (8%–43%), considerably fewer address links with: (a) the cryosphere or coastal ocean as additional interacting geosystems (5%–9%); (b) change drivers/pressures of land‐use, water use, or the energy or food nexus (2%–12%); (c) change impacts related to health, biodiversity or ecosystem services (1%–4%). Methodologically, use of remote sensing data and participatory methods is small, while South America and Africa emerge as the least studied geographic regions. The paper discusses why these topical, methodological and geographical findings indicate important research gaps and priorities for the large‐scale coupled terrestrial GSW system and its roles in the future of the Earth System. Plain Language Summary: The water on the land surface (surface water) and that beneath it (groundwater), along with the water that is continuously and increasingly used and managed in human societies, are connected and constitute a coherent natural‐social water system around the world. Many unknowns and open questions remain for how the small‐scale variations add up to large‐scale variability and change of this water system on land, as an integral part of the whole Earth System. Relevant research is crucial for reducing the unknowns and answering the questions, and this study's scoping review aims to assess how they have been addressed in published research so far. The aim is to identify key research gaps and priorities for further research on how the integrated water system on land functions and evolves on large scales, from whole hydrological catchments and in multiple catchments around the world up to global scale. The scoping review results show key research gaps and priorities to be the coupling of surface water and groundwater on land, and the interactions of this coupled water system with other parts and major challenges of the Earth System. Geographically, the gaps and priorities emerge as particularly large and urgent for South America and Africa. Key Points: Coupling of the ground‐surface water system is a key gap in terrestrial water research, particularly at large scalesResearch on terrestrial water interactions with other geospheres and key challenges of Earth System change is rare but impactfulMajor geographic gaps in research on the large‐scale coupled terrestrial water system emerge for South America and Africa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa's population is expected to triple by 2050, owing to rapid urbanisation and overall demographic trends. The combined pressures of urbanisation and climate change impact the ecosystem and the services it provides. As a result, additional dangers such as increased flooding, and environmental disruption have risen. Therefore, devising adaptive solutions to mitigate flood risk impacts while also building community resilience is needed. Evidence suggests that Nature‐based Solutions (NbS) can potentially alleviate floods and mitigate climate change impacts while also delivering other societal benefits. Despite rising NbS popularity following its recognition in the last decade, studies on its recognition in Africa remain limited. For this reason, this paper reviewed NbS studies conducted in East Africa (EA) to evaluate opportunities and barriers surrounding NbS adoption in EA. Academic literature published from January 2012 to May 2022 was reviewed using a comprehensive search of the SCOPUS database. Results show 14 papers have been published during the period, with the majority being post‐2020. In addition, the majority of the articles focused on cities and peri‐urban settlements, while public awareness, clear guidelines on performance monitoring, stakeholder inclusion, and diverse demonstration projects were highlighted as potential success factors for the adoption of NbS in EA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Counseling as part of the informed consent process is a prerequisite for cesarean section (CS). Postnatal debriefing allows women to explore their CS with their healthcare providers (HCPs). Objectives: To describe the practices and experiences of counseling and debriefing, the barriers and facilitators to informed consent for CS; and to document the effectiveness of the interventions used to improve informed consent found in the peer‐reviewed literature. Search Strategy: The databases searched were PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Africa‐wide information, African Index Medicus, IMSEAR and LILACS. Selection Criteria: English‐language papers focusing on consent for CS, published between 2011 and 2022, and assessed to be of medium to high quality were included. Data Collection and Analysis: A narrative synthesis was conducted using Beauchamp and Childress's elements of informed consent as a framework. Main Results: Among the 21 included studies reporting on consent for CS, 12 papers reported on counseling for CS, while only one reported on debriefing. Barriers were identified at the service, woman, provider, and societal levels. Facilitators all operated at the provider level and interventions operated at the service or provider levels. Conclusions: There is a paucity of research on informed consent, counseling, and debriefing for CS in sub‐Saharan Africa. Synopsis: This scoping review identified only a small number of peer‐reviewed papers on informed consent, counseling, and debriefing for cesarean section in sub‐Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been hailed as a key pillar and catalyst for economic growth, industrialization, and sustainable development in Africa. One of the anticipated benefits is the promise to increase intra‐African trade through the elimination of import duties and other tariffs among countries. However, due to the heterogeneity between the African countries, questions remain as to whether each country will benefit from tariff elimination. This paper aims to evaluate the macroeconomic, fiscal, and welfare consequences of import tax removal in Senegal with the rest of Africa. We link an extended version of the partnership for economic policy (PEP) static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model with a non‐parametric microsimulation approach. We calibrate the model with Senegal's most recent Social Accounting Matrix. The microeconomic model is calibrated using the latest Senegalese household consumption survey. The findings indicate that tariff removal from the rest of Africa has favorable economic, fiscal, and welfare impacts for Senegal. The paper suggests that it will lead to an increase in economic growth and investment. The removal of tariffs is expected to favor urban households over rural ones and leads to a modest decrease in income inequality, accompanied by a 3.36% reduction in the number of poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding young people's lives through a focus on their micro‐geographies has been central for exercising young people's voices through research. However, such a focus has also neglected the multiple and complex realities of growing up that ripple throughout their lives, resulting in calls for more research to go beyond capturing daily snapshots of experience. This paper acknowledges that decades of research with and for young people living on city streets has underpinned activism and challenged western child rights discourse, helping to ensure that abuses and violations of street young people's rights are confronted. Yet, much of this research draws attention to lives lived in present moments – the difficulties encountered and capabilities displayed. It does not account for the temporal fluidity of how young people's realities are future impacted by slow crises and challenging daily life experiences as they grow towards adulthood. This paper explores the crisis temporalities of young people's street lives through a youth‐led ethnographic longitudinal approach. The paper focuses on 18 youth researchers and over 200 of their peers' experiences of research over three years while living on the streets of three African cities. The paper discusses the challenges of undertaking longitudinal research alongside the temporal affordances of surviving urban informality and the compounding effects of slow crises on present and future‐oriented survival. These affordances emerge as street youth respond to daily trials, experience setbacks, crises, triumphs, and failures, yet show resilience and employ capabilities. The paper concludes by demonstrating the crucial importance of ethnographic longitudinal research for policy and practice to ensure that youth who age on the streets, and their families, are supported in accordance with social justice concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing has the potential to drive economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction, but African manufacturers face challenges in competing with global markets. Agricultural machinery manufacturing may be one niche where African manufacturers can succeed. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities facing local agricultural manufacturers in Africa based on a survey of 386 manufacturers in four countries and qualitative methods. Results show that small, dedicated entrepreneurs have created vibrant local machinery markets. These manufacturers have several comparative advantages, in particular, the ability to develop machinery adapted to local agroecological conditions but face challenges related to financing, human resources, utilities, raw materials, production equipment and the regulatory environment. The paper offers recommendations on how to support local manufacturers to make "Made in Africa" the first choice for African farmers and agro‐food processors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to investigate the effect of economic complexity on environmental degradation in 20 selected African countries over the period 1991–2014. The Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS), and Driscoll‐Kraay estimators (DK) are used to capture the objectives of the study. The results suggest that economic complexity and economic growth enhance environmental degradation. Also, natural resources rents and globalization improve environmental quality. Furthermore, the findings reject the U‐shaped relationship between economic complexity and environmental degradation. In addition, the Dumitrescu‐Hurlin panel causality test shows a bidirectional causal relation between economic complexity and environmental degradation. Taking into account the ecological deficit or ecological reserve status of country, it is shown that while the natural resource rents reduce environmental degradation in ecological reserve countries, they increase environmental degradation in ecological deficit countries. The results are robust when an alternative measure of economic complexity is used. Based on these findings, the paper suggests that the governments of African countries should take into account economic complexity when designing their environmental protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses bioethics in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The Introduction (Section 1) highlights that at the field's inception, infectiousness was not front and center. Instead, infectious disease was widely perceived as having been conquered. This made it possible for bioethicists to center values such as individual autonomy, informed consent, and a statist conception of justice. Section 2 urges shifting to values more fitting for the moment the world is in. To find these, it directs attention to the Global South, and in particular, Africa, and to the values of ubuntu, solidarity, dignity, kinship, and humility. The paper concludes (in Section 3) that 21st‐century challenges facing bioethics are increasingly global, and calls on bioethicists themselves to be more globally inclusive in their approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the impact of constitutional changes on foreign direct investment (FDI) in 49 African countries during the period 1980–2020. The paper uses a dummy variable related to the year of the constitutional change and the number of changes during the study period to capture the frequency of constitutional changes. The results reveal that an increase in the frequency of constitutional changes negatively affects FDI. The negative relationship between constitutional change and FDI is consistent across different measures of constitutional change and FDI and is robust to alternative empirical approaches. These results suggest that frequent constitutional changes may create uncertainty and instability in the investment climate, which may discourage foreign investors from investing in these African countries. The study provides evidence for policymakers that a stable constitutional framework may attract FDI in African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Okavango Delta in southern Africa has been the subject of geomorphological and hydrological investigations since the 1970s. In the early 1990s, McCarthy and co‐workers developed a geomorphological and hydrological model which describes the processes that give rise to the gently undulating topography and the lack of saline surface water in this semi‐arid environment. This model is based on extensive investigations of soil and water chemistry conducted across the Okavango Delta, and has been subject to rigorous testing by a number of independent researchers. In their recent paper, Jolivet et al. (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC010978) proposed an alternative hydrological model based on chemical and mineralogical analyses of samples from six auger holes drilled at a site on the lower fringe of the permanent swamp. We provide a critique of their model and explain how this model cannot describe the geohydrological functioning of the Okavango Delta. Jolivet et al. suggest there are two shallow aquifers, one hosted in sand and the other in clay‐rich material. Previous studies of subsurface soils on 18 islands have failed to reveal a deeper clay‐rich layer. Rather, the shallow groundwater is laterally fully connected and salinity varies in response to evapotranspiration. We attribute REE fractionation in subsurface soils observed by Jolivet et al. to be caused by the precipitation of calcite from groundwater which strongly accumulates REE. We are of the opinion that Jolivet et al. have insufficient data to suggest revisions to the current understanding of the functioning of the Okavango hydrological and sedimentological system. Key Points: The model proposed by Jolivet et al. cannot describe the geohydrological functioning of the Okavango DeltaPrevious studies of subsurface soils on 18 islands have failed to reveal the presumed deeper clay‐rich layerWe attribute REE fractionation in subsurface soils observed by Jolivet et al. to be caused by the precipitation of calcite from groundwater [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper was to highlight the nexus between migrant remittances and energy transition in a panel of 45 African countries from 2000 to 2020. The study utilized several estimation techniques ranging from fixed and random effects to two‐stage least square. The empirical findings suggest that remittances reduce energy transition in African countries. However, the growth of remittances reverses this relationship. There is therefore an U‐shaped relationship between remittances and energy transition in Africa. Furthermore, when disaggregating countries by income level, the results reveal that in low‐income countries, remittances reduce energy transition, but this effect is reversed in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Remittances are therefore a determinant in the choice of households for the process of energy transition. Thus, in order to take advantage of this relationship, African countries need to emphasize policies that can increase the flow of remittances by improving their financial system. In addition, migrant remittances contribute to improving access to modern, reliable, and affordable energy services through income growth of remittance‐receiving households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, using data from the Afrobarometer surveys, examines the potential for smartphones to influence attitudes to intimate partner violence (IPV). Controlling for ownership of television and radio, we find that those living in areas with a higher incidence of smartphone ownership are more likely to state that it is never justifiable for a man to beat his wife. This is the case for both male and female respondents. We find that the strength of the association between regional smartphone proliferation and attitudes to IPV is similar for those who frequently get news from social media and those who get news from elsewhere. This suggests that our results are not driven entirely by personal social media use. Finally, we only find a statistically significant relationship for those who are socially conservative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of smoke‐induced dynamical anomalies in the stratosphere associated with the 2019/2020 Australian New Year pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) super outbreak initiated a new field of study involving aerosol/weather anomalies. This paper documents the dynamical anomalies associated with the February 2009 Australian Black Saturday pyroCb outbreak. Positive potential vorticity anomalies (indicating anticyclonic rotation) with horizontal extent ∼1000 km and vertical thickness ∼2 km are associated with the plume, which we classify as a Smoke With Induced Rotation and Lofting (SWIRL). The SWIRL initially formed east of Australia, but then moved westward, crossing over Australia, and continuing to Africa. The SWIRL lasted for nearly three weeks (13 February–4 March), traveling ∼27,000 km and rising from potential temperatures of ∼410–500 K (altitudes ∼18–21 km). The altitude of the SWIRL is corroborated with coincident satellite‐based profiles of H2O, CO, HCN, O3, and aerosol extinction. A vertical temperature dipole (±3 K) accompanied the PV anomaly, as verified with coincident Global Navigation Satellite System radio occultation temperatures. The SWIRL dissipated as it passed over Africa. Operational ECMWF forecasts with early initialization (13 February) and late initialization (21 February) are examined. In the early case, the forecasted PV anomaly disappeared within 4 days, as expected due to lack of smoke heating in the forecast model. In the late case, while the forecasted PV anomaly was weaker than in the reanalyzes, a remnant anomaly remained out to 10 days. Plain Language Summary: Large bushfires in February 2009 in Australia led to large thunderstorms called pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) that injected significant amounts of smoke high into the atmosphere. When this smoke was warmed by absorbing sunlight it became buoyant and started to rise and rotate. This feature has been named a Smoke With Induced Rotation and Lofting (SWIRL) and had previously been observed in large pyroCbs that occurred around New Year's Day 2020 and in Canadian fires that occurred in 2017. The February 2009 SWIRL was a pancake‐like structure 1000 km across and 2 km thick. It lasted for three weeks, traveling over 27,000 km, and rising from 18 to 21 km in altitude. The SWIRL was observed both in weather maps and in satellite observations of gases such as water vapor, carbon monoxide, and ozone. Forecasting the SWIRL is difficult because current numerical weather models either do not consider smoke heating or lack inputs of pyroCb events as they are occurring in real time. Key Points: The February 2009 Australian Black Saturday pyroCbs injected a smoke plume into the stratosphere that induced a mesoscale anticycloneThe anticyclone was 1000 km across and 2 km thick and traveled 27,000 km in three weeks as it rose from 18 to 21 km in altitudeSatellite trace gas and aerosol anomalies coincide with potential vorticity anomalies, confirming smoke‐induced dynamical perturbations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and inclusive growth in Africa are very closely linked, and the literature is extremely fertile. The objective of this paper is to determine the effects of urbanization on inclusive growth in a sample of 48 African countries. We specify and estimate respectively a panel data model, fixed effects, Driscoll and Kraay, generalized least squares, robustness via Lewbel two‐stage least squares, and system generalized method of moments over the period 1995–2020. Our results show that urbanization significantly and statistically improves inclusive growth in Africa. We obtain the same result for each regional area (North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and Central Africa) except for Southern Africa where we find that urbanization rather contributes to worsening inclusive growth. We propose that African policymakers take advantage of current urbanization patterns to effectively plan, manage and deliver U infrastructure technology services such as transport and ICT infrastructure. This will enable the growing population moving from underdeveloped regions to urban centers to access better services and employment opportunities, thereby contributing to economic progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is interested in explaining the causes of the simultaneous evolution between economic and informality growth. Using a large annual panel of African countries with a time series of 25 years, our results are paradoxical: the effect of growth on the informal sector becomes contradictory in the presence of high corruption rates. When the corruption rate is low (>1.3577), growth is indirectly related to the informal sector and vice versa when it is high (<1.3577). The results, which highlight a previously unknown paradox, contribute significantly to the existing literature on the subject and are robust to alternative specifications. It is therefore desirable for policymakers to improve the transparency of interactions between firms, public and private agents to fight corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) infestations cause significant damage to crops and pastureland, impeding food security and livelihoods globally. In recent years, some East African countries have suffered severe desert locust outbreaks, causing significant harm to agriculture and local communities. To comprehensively understand and mitigate the socio‐economic impacts of this pest, an integrated assessment approach is crucial. This study proposes an integrated assessment model that combines ecological, economic, and social dimensions to analyze the multifaceted impacts of the desert locust on the rate of urbanization changes, farming expansion, and food production and how they lead to food unavailability (demand, supply, and price) and food and nutrition insecurity in Eastern Africa. A system dynamics‐based assessment model was first developed for Sudan using the dynamic relations among the factors and their variations over time and how they affect the socio‐economic variables. The developed model was used to spatially simulate the impacts over the entire Eastern Africa. Various scenarios were further simulated and analyzed, incorporating different policy options to effectively mitigate the impacts. Results demonstrated that in all the countries, desert locusts extensively contribute to the slowing down of farming expansion and food production and supply. Consequently, these factors lead to increased urbanization rates through people rural‐urban migration and food demand at different magnitudes across different countries. By considering both short‐term and long‐term effects, this approach aims to provide policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with a holistic understanding of the complex dynamics involved and inform effective management strategies. For example, communities equipped with accurate breeding detection tools and employing an integrated pest management strategy combining chemical pesticides and biopesticides had the highest potential for effectively mitigating the future impacts of desert locusts for enhancing community livelihood. Plain Language Summary: Desert locusts are a major problem for agriculture and communities in East Africa. They eat crops and grasslands, which can lead to food shortages and higher prices. To better understand and deal with this issue, we have created a model that looks at how locusts affect things like farming, urbanization, and food supply. We studied this in Sudan and then applied it to the whole of East Africa. The results showed that locusts make farming harder and push more people to move from rural areas to cities. This causes more demand for food in cities. The study tested different ways to deal with locusts and found that communities with good tools for detecting locusts and using both chemical and biopesticide control methods were the best at reducing the impact of locusts on their lives. This study gives policymakers and others a better understanding of how locusts affect communities and how to manage them effectively in the future. Key Points: In Eastern Africa, desert locusts swarm in vast numbers, devouring crops, and vegetation, causing crop production losses ranging from 42% to 69%The system dynamics model was employed for a comprehensive analysis of the impacts, scenarios, and policy options for mitigating desert locust effectsDesert locusts hinder farming, reduce food production, spur urbanization, and heighten food insecurity across affected Eastern African countries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation areas encompassing elevation gradients are biodiversity hotspots because they contain a wide range of habitat types in a relatively small space. Studies of biodiversity patterns along elevation gradients, mostly on small mammal or bird species, have documented a peak in diversity at mid elevations. Here, we report on a field study of medium and large mammals to examine the impact of elevation, habitat type, and gross primary productivity on community structure. Species richness was observed using a camera trap transect with 219 sites situated across different habitat types from 2329 to 4657 m above the sea level on the western slope of Mt Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa. We found that the lowest elevation natural habitats had the highest species richness and relative abundance and that both metrics decreased steadily as elevation increased, paralleling changes in gross primary productivity, and supporting the energy richness hypothesis. We found no evidence for the mid‐domain effect on species diversity. The lowest elevation degraded Agro‐Forestry lands adjacent to the National Park had high activity of domestic animals and reduced diversity and abundance of native species. The biggest difference in community structure was between protected and unprotected areas, followed by more subtle stepwise differences between habitats at different elevations. Large carnivore species remained relatively consistent but dominant herbivore species shifted along the elevation gradient. There was some habitat specialization and turnover in species, such that the elevation gradient predicts a high diversity of species, demonstrating the high conservation return for protecting mountain ecosystems for biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates meteorological drought in sub‐Saharan Africa within the context of elephant conservation. Prolonged drought significantly impacts elephants, leading to increased mortality rates and heightened human–elephant conflicts. We assess both the anticipated 21st century changes in impact‐relevant meteorological drought metrics and the efficacy of existing forecasting systems in predicting such droughts on seasonal time scales. The climate change element of our study uses the 6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) ensemble to evaluate projected change in 3‐month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI3). We then carry out a quantitative assessment of seasonal forecast skill, utilizing 110 years of precipitation hindcasts generated by the European Centre for Medium Range Forecasting (ECMWF) system. Our findings indicate that persistent drought is projected to become more frequent over the 21st century in southern Africa, where the majority of elephants reside. Analysis of seasonal hindcasts indicates that, while the forecasts have greater skill than climatology, they remain highly uncertain. Previous work suggests that it may be possible to reduce this uncertainty by contextualizing forecasts within specific climate regimes. However, even with improved forecast skill, effective action hinges on the alignment of forecasts with the practical needs of conservation practitioners. Over the next decades, a co‐production approach will be critical for leveraging seasonal forecasts for climate change adaptation within the conservation sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulating plastic waste valorisation is suggested as an important way to address the growing waste problem in low‐income countries. However, policy interventions have not led to substantial waste valorisation, and the reasons for this have not been thoroughly analysed. We address this through a qualitative study of plastic waste in urban Zambia, which is representative of the policy and practice challenges in African plastic waste management. Using extensive data gathered through interviews, site visits and stakeholder meetings, we first conduct a business ecosystem analysis which provides a holistic view on value creation, capture, and destruction processes across all actors involved in the plastics lifecycle. Next, we map the barriers to value creation and capture by the system's main actors. Aggregation of these barriers reveals a low‐value trap, in which individual actors are disincentivized to increase waste valorisation activities. Finally, we analyse the reasons why policies aimed at waste valorisation have failed to break through this status quo. We find that policies have insufficiently addressed the barriers that keep the low‐value trap in place. Hence, they have not acted effectively on the root causes of systemic stagnation. By combining a business ecosystems analysis with an identification of barriers facing the individual actors in that ecosystem, our study is able to show why substantial plastic waste valorisation has not emerged despite policy incentives. Our analysis points toward concrete policy actions aimed at value redistribution and value increase, as key leverage points in the system to increase valorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Key Clinical Message: This case underscores the importance of considering myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) in patients experiencing acute chest pain following rabies vaccination, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness and further research into the association between MINOCA and Rabies vaccination. Rabies is a vaccine‐preventable deadly viral disease prevalent in Asia and Africa that causes thousands of deaths annually. Rabies pre (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is highly effective in annulling rabies‐associated deaths. The adverse reactions following rabies vaccination are typically mild. Myocardial infarction with non‐obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a rare condition, and its association with rabies vaccination is unprecedented. We present a case of a 43‐year‐old male with MINOCA following Rabies PEP. A 43‐year‐old male, nonsmoker and nonalcoholic, presented to the ER with complaints of acute onset left sided chest pain following the completion of the third dose of intradermal rabies vaccine, whose clinical features, ECG changes and lab reports were suggestive of acute presentation of inferior wall MI. Coronary angiography was performed, which however revealed normal coronaries with only slow flow being noted in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Echocardiography later showed a normal study with no other relevant diagnosis unveiled on further investigations. Hence a diagnosis of vaccine‐induced MINOCA was made. Treatment included antiplatelet therapy, statins, and beta‐blockers. MINOCA following rabies vaccination is an unprecedented finding. The clear etiology behind this couldn't be ascertained. The patient's treatment was conventional, emphasizing the need for further research and clinical trials in MINOCA diagnosis and management. This case highlights the need for clinicians to consider MINOCA in patients with acute chest pain post‐rabies vaccination. Further research is essential to unravel the association between MINOCA and rabies vaccination, paving the way for optimal management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unprecedented urbanisation in the Global South is transforming natural urban landscapes, impacting on the ability of nature to provide essential ecosystem services.Within the context of pressures facing many urban natural open spaces, particularly in Africa, we used a local municipality in South Africa as a case study to (i) identify local government priorities for a natural open space system; (ii) develop an understanding of whether, and how, ecosystem services are considered by local government, and the reasons thereof; and (iii) ascertain the extent of proactive planning regarding regulating and other ecosystem services, including the temporal and spatial scales, and implications. In‐depth qualitative interviews (n = 12) were undertaken with senior municipal officials representing departments whose work impacts the environment. Municipal decision‐support documents were also analysed for any direct and/or indirect references to ecosystem services.Planning for, and management of, ecosystem services provided by natural open spaces is influenced by interwoven infrastructure, municipal service delivery and equity challenges, complex institutional constraints and poverty, with little focus on the socio‐economic opportunities and other benefits of natural open space systems. Values, perceptions and knowledge also influence the management of ecosystem services.The study contributes to understanding the opportunities and challenges for the future governance of natural open space in the Global South, which require explicit consideration in municipal planning, management and budgeting processes.Policy and management implications identified include prioritisation of the regulating functions provided by natural open space systems, pivotal to the urban resilience agenda; building on the inherent appreciation of nature features as city assets, while achieving socio‐economic upliftment; improved (on‐site) collaborative management of natural open spaces; and involvement of local government officials in the preparation and updating of environmental policies and decision‐support documents, to ensure skills and knowledge transfer and interest are entrenched in local government departments. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Tuberculous (TB) pericarditis (TBP), a TB of the heart, is linked to significant morbidity and mortality rates. Administering glucocorticoid therapy to individuals with TBP might enhance overall results and lower the likelihood of fatality. However, the actual clinical effectiveness of supplementary glucocorticoids remains uncertain. This study specifically evaluated the effects of prednisolone, prednisolone‐antiretroviral therapy (ART) interaction, and other potential risk factors in reducing the hazard of the composite outcome, death, cardiac tamponade, and constriction, among TBP and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. Methods: The data used in this study were obtained from the investigation of the Management of Pericarditis trial, a multicentre international randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled 2×2 $2\times 2$ factorial study that investigated the effects of two TB treatments, prednisolone and Mycobacterium indicus pranii immunotherapy in patients with TBP in Africa. This study used a sample size of 587 TBP and HIV‐positive patients randomized into prednisolone and its corresponding placebo arm. We used the extended Cox‐proportional hazard model to evaluate the effects of the covariates on the hazard of the survival outcomes. Models fitting and parameter estimation were carried out using R version 4.3.1. Results: Prednisolone reduces the hazard of composite outcome (hazrad ratio [HR] = 0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.19,0.54 $0.19,0.54$, p < 0.001), cardiac tamponade (HR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.42, p < 0.001) and constriction (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.41, 1.61, p = 0.55). However, prednisolone increases the hazard of death (HR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.11, 2.24, p = 0.01). Consistent usage of ART reduces the hazard of composite outcome, death, and constriction but insignificantly increased the hazard of cardiac tamponade. Conclusion: The study offers valuable insights into how prednisolone impact the hazard of different outcomes in patients with TBP and HIV. The findings hold potential clinical significance, particularly in guiding treatment decisions and devising strategies to enhance outcomes in this specific patient group. However, there are concerns about prednisolone potentially increasing the risk of death due to HIV‐related death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity‐related cancers in the 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries is quite prominent. The changes and time trends of the burden of obesity‐related cancers in developing countries like SADC remain largely unknown. A descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted to assess the burden of obesity‐related cancers, (liver, esophageal, breast, prostate, colon/rectal, leukemia, ovarian, uterine, pancreatic, kidney, gallbladder/biliary tract, and thyroid cancers) in SADC countries. Methods: Data from the 2019 Global Burden of Diseases Study was used. Deaths extracted from vital registration, verbal autopsies and ICD codes. Cancer‐type, mortality and prevalence per 100,000 population and 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model and Spatio‐Temporal Gaussian process with mixed effects regression models. Annual rates of change (AROCs) between 1990 and 2019 and the corresponding UIs were calculated. Results: The top age‐standardized mortality rates per 100,000 in 2019 for males were leukemia, 20.1(14.4–26.4), esophageal cancer, 15.1 (11.2–19.1), and colon and rectal cancer, 10.3 (8.6–12.6). For females, breast cancer, 20.6 (16.6–25.0), leukemia, 17.1 (11.4–23.7), and esophageal cancer, 8.3 (5.5–10.7), had the leading mortality rates. For males, AROC substantial (p < 0.05) increase for kidney cancer for 11 of the countries (AROC from 0.41% to 1.24%), colon cancer for eight of the countries (from 0.39% to 0.92%), and pancreatic cancer for seven countries (from 0.26% to 1.01%). In females, AROC showed substantial increase for pancreatic cancer for 13 of the countries from (0.34%–1.67%), nine countries for kidney cancer (from 0.27% to 1.02%), seven countries each for breast cancer (0.35%–1.13%), and ovarian cancer (from 0.33% to 1.21%). Conclusions: There is need for location‐specific and culturally appropriate strategies for better nutrition and weight control, and improved screening for all cancers. Health promotion messaging should target kidney, colon, pancreatic, and breast cancers and encourage clinically tested methods of reducing BMI such as increasing personal physical activity and adoption of effective dietary regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subseasonal‐to‐seasonal (S2S) prediction has gained momentum in the recent past as a need for predictions between the weather forecasting timescale and seasonal timescale exists. The availability of S2S databases makes prediction and predictability studies possible over all the regions of the globe. Most S2S studies are, however, relevant to the northern hemisphere. In this review, the S2S literature relevant to the southern hemisphere (SH) are presented. Predictive skill, sources of predictability, and the application of S2S predictions are discussed. Indications from the subseasonal predictability studies for the SH regions suggest that predictive skill is limited to 2 weeks in general, particularly for temperature and rainfall, which are the variables most frequently investigated. However, temperature has enhanced skill compared to rainfall. More S2S prediction studies that include the quantification of the sources of predictability and the identification of windows of opportunity need to be conducted for the SH, particularly for the southern African region. The African continent is vulnerable to weather‐ and climate‐related disasters, and S2S forecasts can assist in alleviating the risk of such disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa's continental crust hosts a variety of geologic terrains and is crucial for understanding the evolution of its longest‐lived cratons. However, few of its seismological models are yet to incorporate the largest continent‐wide noise dispersion data sets. Here, we report on new insights into Africa's crustal architecture obtained using a new data set and model assessment product, ADAMA, which comprises a large ensemble of short‐period surface wave dispersion measurements: 5–40 s. We construct a continent‐wide model of Africa's Crust Evaluated with ADAMA's Rayleigh Phase maps (ACE‐ADAMA‐RP). Dispersion maps, and uncertainties, are obtained with a probabilistic approach. This model update, and a crustal taxonomy derived from unsupervised machine learning, reveals that the architecture of Africa's crust can be classified into two main types: primitive (C1: faster velocities with little gradients) and modified (C2–C4: slower velocities in the shallow crust with more pronounced gradients). The Archean shields are "primitive," showing little variation or secular evolution. The basins, orogens, and continental margins are "modified" and retain imprints of surface deformation. The crustal taxonomy is obtained without a‐priori geological information and differs from previous classification schemes. While most of our reported features are robust, probabilistic modeling suggests caution in the quantitative interpretations where illumination is compromised by low‐quality measurements, sparse coverage or both. Future extension of our approach to other complementary seismological and geophysical data sets—for example, multimode earthquake dispersion, receiver functions, gravity, and mineral physics, will enable continent‐wide lithospheric modeling that extends resolution to the upper mantle. Plain Language Summary: The rocks that constitute Africa's crust record the history of different geological periods. We produce a map, for the entire continent, of how fast shear waves travel within these rocks. We obtain this map from ambient noise surface wave vibrations. The ambient noise surface waves are generated from ocean and atmospheric waves that couple with the solid Earth. There are two types: Rayleigh and Love waves and they travel at different speeds for different wavelengths. This property is called dispersion and it is used to tell how fast the shear wave speeds travel within the subsurface rocks. Constructing the final map from ambient noise surface waves requires the solution of a computational imaging problem. We solve the most challenging computational task with a probabilistic approach—using random sampling—and this enables us to also construct associated error maps. The new maps of Africa's crust show new features that have important implications for subsurface geology of the continent. Key Points: A continent‐wide s‐velocity model of Africa's crust is constructed using probabilistic modeling of the largest catalog of dispersion measurementsA crustal taxonomy, derived with unsupervised machine learning, reveals that Africa's crust is one‐third primitive and two‐thirds modifiedArchean shields are primitive and show no secular evolution; basins, orogens, and margins are modified, retaining imprints of deformation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]