The introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963 drastically reduced the global health crisis caused by measles. Despite this progress, measles remains a significant cause of childhood death in low- and middle-income countries due to low vaccination rates and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research uses a scoping …

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of death, and their prevalence in South Africa is alarmingly high, trailing only behind HIV/AIDS. Addressing physical inactivity, a key risk factor for CVDs, is crucial. This study focused on understanding how the perceived walkability of the built environment in South African …

Why did we do this study? Cervical cancer can often be prevented if women get regular screenings every three years. These screenings catch early signs of cancer before it becomes hard to treat. However, some groups of people, like those with lower education or income, don’t get screened as often …

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, evolve to withstand antimicrobial treatments that once effectively cured infections they caused. This resistance is driven by the misuse and overuse of these treatments. AMR poses a significant global health threat by increasing the risk of disease spread, severe …

In a middle-income country like Ecuador, the survival chances of premature children have increased due to the institutionalization of births and improved postnatal care. However, this positive trend has led to more children surviving injuries that can result in disabilities. The challenge lies in the fact that the healthcare system …

Biomaterials in tissue engineering (TE) are crucial to recreate a tissue in vitro. Up till this day Matrigel is the go-to ’gold standard’ for growing organoids derived from different tissues. However, its xenogenic and tumor related nature (Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) sarcoma tumour cells) and high batch-to-batch variability of Matrigel limit its …

Human appetite is controlled by hormones secreted from various body sites that signal to neurons present in the hypothalamus. The gut microbiome can also influence appetite through its metabolites. Furthermore, lifestyle and environmental exposures can influence both appetite and the gut microbiome, about which little is known. The goal of …

Hormonal anticonception has been used for over 100 years by women for various reasons including to prevent pregnancy, reduce acne and to prevent painful periods. However, the pill might still cause physiological changes in the female body. In this light, we investigated the influence of hormonal anticonception on the brain …

The persistent use of anabolic substances, particularly testosterone esters, in sports poses a challenge for anti-doping authorities. Traditional matrices such as urine and serum/plasma have limitations in detecting these substances effectively. This study proposes the use of noninvasive dried blood (DB) as a matrix for anti-doping testing. DB offers advantages …

The application of MRI requires high sensitivity of the MRI system to clinically relevant biological changes. However, MR images are susceptible to variability caused by other confounding factors. In addition to biological changes, variations in MR images may arise from participant-related physiological variability and device-related technical variability. These confounding factors …