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Malaria is an infectious disease caused protozoa in genus Plasmodium. In spite of the efforts made in the fight against malaria, this tropic infectious disease is still one of the most common vector borne disease in the WHO African region. Therefore, this systematic review focuses on current malaria control interventions, treatment options and elimination in Africa with specific focus on Zimbabwe. The literature was searched in electronic databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov, DOAJ, Europe PubMed Central, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Furthermore, the literature search was expanded to include reference lists in peer-reviewed scientific publications. Some of the key phrases chosen in the literature search were ‘malaria control interventions’, ‘Zimbabwe and malaria’, ‘Malaria treatment’, ‘Malaria prevalence in Zimbabwe’, ‘Malaria prevalence in Africa’, ‘malaria and Africa’, and ‘Africa and malaria therapy’. In this study, 185 articles were reviewed and literature was summarized in line with the objectives of the study. Based on literature survey, it was noted that intensification of malaria control interventions and treatment has led to a remarkable decline in malaria morbidity and mortality. However, malaria remains a public health concern in most African countries including Zimbabwe. This has been attributed to the (1) development of physiological and behavioral resistance among malaria vectors in response to insecticides overuse, (2) development of resistance in P. falciparum to antimalarial drugs, (3) migration of malaria tolerant and positive individuals from malaria endemic areas to settings where malaria is less common, (4) emergence of genetically distinct malaria parasites which has limited the development of an effective malaria vaccine and protective immunity.

Despite massive global economic growth and advances in science and medicine with spectacular aggregate and individual improvements in health and life expectancy over the past century, the world has now become severely unstable in multiple domains – biological, sociological, political, ecological, economic, and health care. These pervasive instabilities are organically interactive within a complex world system that has reached crisis status at local, global, and planetary levels. Lying at the heart of this complex crisis are long-neglected disparities in health and well-being within and between countries, the refusal to face how these and climate change have arisen, and how economic considerations have fuelled the trend towards entropy (gradual decline of the planet into disorder). The critical point we have reached, starkly highlighted by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic pari passu with ongoing climate change and planetary degradation, reminds us of our global interconnectedness with each other and with nature. Comprehending and acknowledging the myriad, humanly constructed forces in each of these domains influencing all aspects of life, are the first steps towards effectively facing challenges to our health, our humanity (collectivity as humans) and our planet. Overcoming denial, acknowledging the magnitude and complexity of these challenges, prescient vision and dedicated action capable of fostering the cooperation for overcoming obstacles are now vital to seeking peaceful pathways towards more equitable and sustainable lives. South Africa is a microcosm of the world, with its local threats and challenges mirroring the global. Significance: Instabilities that pervade the world, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, are especially significant for South Africa, where they manifest most starkly because of its apartheid legacy, its relative success economically on the African continent, and the implications of ongoing widening disparities and antagonism amongst South Africa’s diverse people. Belief in moving towards narrowing wide disparities through decolonisation and reversion to an ‘idyllic African heritage’ via a transformation that includes widespread corruption, and the ANC government’s perverse erosion of lives today and in the future through ‘state capture’, intensifies rather than ameliorates our predicament in an era when cooperation and a clear vision of current threats and future possibilities are desperately needed. In an accompanying article, potential pathways towards a better future are offered through suggested shifts in paradigms of thought and action.

In the previous article in this issue (S Afr J Sci. 2022;118(11/12), Art. #13165), the emergence and spread of COVID-19 pari passu with climate change and planetary degradation were interpreted as late manifestations in the trend towards gradual decline into disorder (entropy) in an unstable and ecologically threatened planet. In this article, as we contemplate a post-COVID world, the question is whether new insights could generate courageous, prescient leadership towards new paradigms of health, politics, economics, society, and our relationship with nature. A gloomy prognosis is postulated because of the power of many impediments to such changes, both in an increasingly polarised world and in South Africa as a microcosm. Despite many squandered opportunities and a decline in local and global cooperation between all who have a stake in the future, some hope is retained for innovative shifts towards sustainable futures. Significance: Precarious local and global instabilities are vivid reminders of our interconnectedness with each other and with nature. Insights into local and global threats and opportunities, call for paradigm shifts in thinking about and taking action towards a potentially sustainable future in a country that has its own unique history and problems but is also a microcosm of the world. The impediments to making appropriately constructive paradigm shifts in many countries with their tendencies to authoritarianism that threaten peace and democracy, are even more complex in South Africa, where opportunities for dialogue and cooperation are diminishing. Retaining some hope, with vision and courage for innovative shifts towards a sustainable economic/ecological paradigm locally and globally, is arguably essential.

Modern zoos and aquariums aspire to contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation and research. For example, conservation research is a key accreditation criterion of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). However, no studies to date have quantified this contribution. We assessed the research productivity of 228 AZA members using scientific publications indexed in the ISI Web of Science (WoS) database between 1993 and 2013 (inclusive). AZA members published 5175 peer-reviewed manuscripts over this period, with publication output increasing over time. Most publications were in the zoology and veterinary science subject areas, and articles classified as “biodiversity conservation” by WoS averaged 7% of total publications annually. From regression analyses, AZA organizations with larger financial assets generally published more, but research-affiliated mission statements were also associated with increased publication output. A strong publication record indicates expertise and expands scientific knowledge, enhancing organizational credibility. Institutions aspiring for higher research productivity likely require a dedicated research focus and adequate institutional support through research funding and staffing. We recommend future work build on our results by exploring links between zoo and aquarium research productivity and conservation outcomes or uptake.

Ilona Kickbusch’s thought provoking editorial is criticized in this commentary, partly because she fails to refer to previous critical work on the global conditions and policies that sustain inequality, poverty, poor health and damage to the biosphere and, as a result, she misreads global power and elides consideration of the fundamental historical structures of political and material power that shape agency in global health governance. We also doubt that global health can be improved through structures and processes of multilateralism that are premised on the continued reproduction of the ecologically myopic and socially unsustainable market civilization model of capitalist development that currently prevails in the world economy. This model drives net financial flows from poor to rich countries and from the poor to the affluent and super wealthy individuals. By contrast, we suggest that significant progress in global health requires a profound and socially just restructuring of global power, greater global solidarity and the “development of sustainability.”

Acquisition of Actinobacteria, especially Streptomyces from previously underexplored habitats and the exploration of their biosynthetic potential have gained much attention in the rejuvenated antibiotics search programs. Herein, we isolated some Streptomyces strains, from an arid region of the Great Indian Thar Desert, which possess an ability to produce novel bioactive compounds. Twenty-one morphologically distinctive strains differing in their aerial and substrate mycelium were isolated by employing a stamping method. Among them, 12 strains were identified by a two-level antimicrobial screening method, exerting antimicrobial effects against a panel of indicator strains including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species. Based on their potent antimicrobial activity, four isolates were further explored by 16S rRNA gene-based identification, genetic screening, and metabolomic analysis; and it was found that these strains belong to the genus Streptomyces. The selected strains were found to have polyketide synthase and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase systems. In addition, extracellular metabolomic screening revealed that the isolates produced analogs of doxorubicinol, pyrromycin, erythromycin, and 6-13 other putative novel metabolites. These results demonstrate the significance of Streptomyces inhabiting the arid region of Thar Desert, suggesting that similar arid environments can be considered as the reservoirs of novel Streptomyces strains that could have biotechnological significance.

The theme of this presentation is that major impediments to the development of new interventions to improve global health comprise the combination of (1) an inadequate value system that is heavily dominated by selfish individualism, (2) an excessively downstream focus on health and (3) overriding emphasis on market forces. Moral imagination is required to move beyond the current impasse in which the lives of some seem to be of infinite value while the lives of others are apparently dispensable. A broader discourse on ethics and human rights coupled to demonstration of high moral standards by influential nations could facilitate the introduction of new interventions with the prospect of greatly improving population health.

The theme of this presentation is that major impediments to the development of new interventions to improve global health comprise the combination of (1) an inadequate value system that is heavily dominated by selfish individualism, (2) an excessively downstream focus on health and (3) overriding emphasis on market forces. Moral imagination is required to move beyond the current impasse in which the lives of some seem to be of infinite value while the lives of others are apparently dispensable. A broader discourse on ethics and human rights coupled to demonstration of high moral standards by influential nations could facilitate the introduction of new interventions with the prospect of greatly improving population health.

In this study we examined the anti-tick properties of the essential oil of Tagetes minuta L. (Asteraceae: Asterales) against Hyalomma rufipes ticks. We obtained the essential oil of T. minuta by hydro-distillation of a combination of fresh flowers, leaves and soft stems, and analysed these by using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-linked mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil had a high percentage of monoterpenes and the major compounds identified were cis-ocimene (28.5%), beta-ocimene (16.83%) and 3-methyl-2-(2-methyl-2-butenyl)-furan (11.94%). Hyalomma rufipes adults displayed a significant (P

The development of density functional theory (DFT) has significantly enhanced the use of computational chemistry as a tool in the design and development of ligands for the separation of actinides (An) and lanthanides (Ln) in the nuclear waste management. In the past, identifying new ligands involved either making incremental structural changes to existing ligands or conducting extensive laboratory testing of numerous compounds. However, these experimental methods are often costly and time-consuming. With the advancements in hardware and software, theoretical and computational chemistry has become a powerful and cost-effective approach in nuclear waste management research. The density functional theory (DFT), in particular, has played a pivotal role by enabling scientists to accurately predict the effectiveness of ligands based on electronic and molecular properties, as well as reactivity indices. This computational approach provides valuable insights into the separation efficiencies of ligands without the need for extensive experimental efforts. This review highlights the role of computational chemistry in the design of ligands for the separation of lanthanides and actinides in spent nuclear fuel processing. It discusses various design strategies and computational analyses used in ligand optimization, highlighting the potential applications of computational tools in guiding ligand design and improving separation processes. The work emphasizes the synergy between computational insights and experimental observations in lanthanide/actinide chemistry, which enhances understanding of complex phenomena and aids in the interpretation of experimental results. It also explores different design approaches that allow for fine-tuning of ligand properties and selectivity toward specific metal ions, ultimately improving separation efficiency. In this review, we will discuss some widely used computational tools in chemistry without delving into complex mathematical formulas. This will be particularly helpful for researchers who come from an experimental background and may not be as familiar with advanced mathematical concepts. The tools covered are bond order analysis, population analysis, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis, Energy Decomposition Analysis (EDA), and thermodynamic analysis. These methods are explored in a more accessible manner for non-theoretical researchers. They provide valuable insights into bonding, binding, stability, non-bonding interactions, coordinating abilities and selectivity of organic ligands in extraction of actinides and lanthanides, thus providing useful information in the designing of ligands to enhance separation strategies. This review serves as an excellent resource for future ligand design, offering valuable insights into computational techniques used to understand the coordination and complexation behaviors of ligands. Also an attempt has been made to understand the role of DFT functionals in the calculations. It provides a foundation for researchers to comprehend and apply computational tools effectively in their investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the hidden curriculum of Ontario's New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP). The study involved interviews with 47 teacher educators from eight faculties of education. Responses revealed concerns about (a) who chooses the mentors, (b) the probationary status of new teachers, and (c) the evaluation of new teachers' competence. In the opinion of some teacher educators, the structure of NTIP may discourage new teachers from critiquing the system that employs them thus decreasing the likelihood of their taking a critical democratic stance in their teaching. These findings have implications for any induction or mentorship program for new teachers.

Background: A conceptual framework about protective factors (models protection, controls protection, support protection) and risk factors (models risk, opportunity risk, vulnerability risk) was employed to articulate the content of five psychosocial contexts of adolescent life--individual, family, peers, school, and neighborhood--in a study of problem behavior. Aims: To identify problem behaviors among adolescents by investigating socio-demographic and psychosocial risk and protective factors. Methods: Questionnaires assessing a broad range of problem behaviors and health and wellbeing, as well as psychosocial risk and protective factors were administered to 1129 (522 males, 607 females) adolescents in the age group of 13 to 20 years in Navi Mumbai. Results: Of those with multi problem behavior 87% were males and 13% were females. Control protection was the salient protective factor while opportunity risk was the salient risk factor. Urban living and low standard of living in adolescents were associated with problem behaviors. Conclusions: The evidence from this study suggests that significant portions of adolescents experience problem behaviors such as substance misuse, delinquency, risky sexual behavior and suicide. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study is about systemic containment of Black youth by authority structures within schools and law enforcement agents in racialized communities. Through the retrospective narratives of incarcerated Black students in a secure custody institution, vivid insights are provided into the construction of fear of Black youth and of the ways that arbitrary power and authority operate within the contested terrain of schools. Safe-schools policies of "zero tolerance" and the ongoing practice of "racial profiling" appear to converge in moving Black students through the "school-prison pipeline." (Contains 1 table and 5 endnotes.)

Forward solutions with different levels of complexity are employed for localization of current generators, which are responsible for the electric and magnetic fields measured from the human brain. The influence of brain anisotropy on the forward solution is poorly understood. The goal of this study is to validate an anisotropic model for the intracranial electric forward solution by comparing with the directly measured ‘gold standard’. Dipolar sources are created at known locations in the brain and intracranial electroencephalogram (EEG) is recorded simultaneously. Isotropic models with increasing level of complexity are generated along with anisotropic models based on Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). A Finite Element Method based forward solution is calculated and validated using the measured data. Major findings are (1) An anisotropic model with a linear scaling between the eigenvalues of the electrical conductivity tensor and water self-diffusion tensor in brain tissue is validated. The greatest improvement was obtained when the stimulation site is close to a region of high anisotropy. The model with a global anisotropic ratio of 10:1 between the eigenvalues (parallel: tangential to the fiber direction) has the worst performance of all the anisotropic models. (2) Inclusion of cerebrospinal fluid as well as brain anisotropy in the forward model is necessary for an accurate description of the electric field inside the skull. The results indicate that an anisotropic model based on the DTI can be constructed non-invasively and shows an improved performance when compared to the isotropic models for the calculation of the intracranial EEG forward solution.

The purpose of this Study was to provide a statistical review of trends in dance medicine and science research over the last 38 years with regard to how Much is being published, where it is being published, and what Subject matter is attracting the most attention. All data were compiled through computer tabulations of entries in the authors' Dance Medicine & Science Bibliography, Third Edition. When viewed in three-year intervals, the number of publications was seen to increase dramatically between 1977 and 1988, and decrease steadily at each interval through 2003. Over the time span in question, 141 authored books, 36 edited books, and 321 chapters have appeared, along with 405 articles in periodicals (led by Medical Problems of Performing Artists and the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, with 151 and 136 articles, respectively). Eleven research subjects can be identified which have produced at least 100 references; the 3 most prolific Subjects are Psychology/Personality/Perceprion/Memory/Stress, psychological (308); Technique/Teaching/Training (284); and Stress fracture/Overuse injury (241). Publications over the last 38 years in dance medicine and science portray it as a vigorous and diverse field, although there is potential cause for concern in the (at this time unexplained) decrease in number of publications since 1989.