Evaluation of micrometeorological models for estimating crop evapotranspiration using a smart field weighing lysimeter

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. This is in accordance with the organization’s intellectual property policy.Accurate estimation of crop water use, which is expressed as evapotranspiration (ET) is an important task for effective irrigation and agricultural water management. Although direct field measurement of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) is the most reliable method, practical and economic limitations often make it difficult to acquire, especially in developing countries. Consequently, crop evapotranspiration (ETc) is calculated using reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and crop-specific coefficients (Kc) to support irrigation water management practices. Several ETo models have been developed to address varying environmental conditions; however, their transferability to new environments often leads to under or over estimation of ETo, which has an impact on ETc estimation. This study evaluated the accuracy of 30 ETo micrometeorological models to estimate ETc under different seasonal and micro-climatic conditions using ETa data directly measured using a smart field weighing lysimeter as a benchmark. Local Kc values were derived from field-based measurements, while statistical metrics were applied for the evaluation process. A cumulative ranking approach was used to assess the accuracy and consistency of the models across four cropping seasons. Results demonstrated the Penman–Monteith model to be the most consistent model in estimating ETc, which outperformed other models across all cropping seasons. The performance of alternative models differed significantly with seasonal conditions, indicating their susceptibility to seasonality. The findings demonstrated the Penman–Monteith model as the most reliable approach for estimating ETc, which justifies its application role as a benchmark for validating other ETo models in data-limited areas. The study emphasizes the importance of site-specific validation and calibration of ETo models to improve their accuracy, applicability, and reliability in diverse environmental conditions.The Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa, the National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South Africa.https://www.mdpi.com/journal/waterhj2024Geography, Geoinformatics and MeteorologySDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-13:Climate actionSDG-15:Life on lan

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors among food handlers in East Africa : a systematic review and meta-analysis

DATA AVAILABILITY : All data generated and analyzed during this study are included in this manuscript.BACKGROUND : Intestinal parasitic infections are a significant public health concern, especially among food handlers, who can transmit these infections to the public through food preparation and handling. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections among food handlers in the East African region. METHODS : A systematic review and meta-analysis on intestinal parasitic infections among food handlers involved a comprehensive search across various databases, including Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and the institution’s library registers. Forty relevant articles were identified and analyzed using STATA Software version 17.0. Sensitivity analysis, publication bias assessment with Egger’s test, and the Trim-and-fill meta-analysis for bias adjustment were conducted. Heterogeneity across the studies was assessed using Cochran’s Q statistic and I2 statistics, and subgroup analysis computed for significant heterogeneity (I2 value ≥ 50%). A random effect model was used to determine the pooled prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections. RESULTS : The pooled prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among food handlers was 32.27% (95% CI 27.90–36.65). The most prevalent parasites were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 20.83% (95% CI 13.66–28%), Ascaris lumbricoides 13.84% (95% CI 10–17.68%), Giardia lamblia 8.55% (95% CI 6.03–11.06%), and hookworm 6.43% (95% CI 3.93–8.93%). Using a common knife for cutting raw meat (AOR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.21–4.31), food handler’s untrimmed fingernails (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.50–2.78), and no hand washing practices with soap after using the toilet (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.33–3.18) were associated with higher rates of intestinal parasitic infections among food handlers. CONCLUSIONS : Parasitic infections among food handlers were found to be significantly prevalent. Factors contributing to this high prevalence included food handlers’ untrimmed fingernails, poor hand hygiene practices, and using a shared knife for chopping various food items, including raw meat. These findings emphasize the need for proper personal hygiene and sanitation practices among food handlers to prevent transmitting parasitic infections to consumers.https://link.springer.com/journal/116862026-01-04hj2024Medical MicrobiologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Penetrating crossbow injury to the head : a case of suicide

We present here the case of a 42-year-old male with a history of mental illness. There had been a previous attempt at suicide by similar means, using a firearm. He currently resided with family and was confined to bed for most of the day due to complications of abdominal injuries sustained during the previous suicide attempt; however, mobility was still possible. On the day of his demise, his mother looked in on him and found him dead on his bed with a bolt in his head and a crossbow in close proximity—next to his bed.https://journals.lww.com/amjforensicmedicine/pages/default.aspx2025-11-05hj2024Forensic MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Evaluation of body calcium and phosphorus composition of the Cobb 700 genotype during growth

1. The amount of calcium and phosphorus in the empty, feather-free bodies of Cobb 700 breed males and females was measured from hatch to 15 weeks of age.2. A four-phase ad libitum feeding programme was used to feed 400 chicks of each sex. Feeds contained commercial levels of calcium and phosphorus which met or exceeded the requirements for energy, protein and amino acids. All birds were weighed weekly. Ten birds per sex were sampled at 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 105 d of age. Defeathered birds were minced, freeze-dried and then analysed for protein, ash, calcium and phosphorus content.3. Amounts of Ca in males and females at 105 d averaged 54 and 37 g, respectively, and 105 d P content in males and females averaged 35 and 27 g, respectively. The allometry of ash, Ca and P with empty, feather-free body protein was assessed. Ash was isometric with body protein, while an allometric exponent greater than 1 was established for Ca and P with body protein.4. The allometric models and means for Ca and P relative to body protein were compared with models and means found in the literature. Comparison of the Ca/protein ratios with previous data suggested that modern broilers may not reach their potential bone mineral deposition with current dietary guidelines, even when growth rates were maximised.5. Theoretical allometric relationships between Ca and P in bone and bone-free body and body protein have now been proposed. The allometric relationship between Ca and P and empty, feather-free body protein offers a suitable way to model the growth of these minerals in the broiler body.https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/CBPSAnimal and Wildlife SciencesSDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-12:Responsible consumption and productio

Use of osteogenic bone matrix in patients with traumatic long bone defects : an open label, single center study

AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS : The data sets are available upon request from the corresponding author.BACKGROUND : Osteogenic Bone Matrix (Altis™ OBM) is a tissue-engineered, porcine-derived demineralized bone matrix prepared using a humanization processing technology that confers biocompatibility and improved osteoinductivity. The objective of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of OBM in patients with traumatic long bone defects in an open-label, non-randomized single-center study. METHODS : Diagnosis and main criteria for inclusion were open long bone fractures graded as Gustilo-Anderson Grade II, IIIA or IIIB. 24 participants were enrolled from one center, of which 17 were assigned to the investigational group (OBM) and 7 to the standard of care (SOC) group. Participants were followed at intervals of one, two, six, and 13 weeks to undergo physical examinations and record adverse events, vital signs, electrocardiograms, hematology, blood biochemistry and circulating humoral antibodies against human and porcine Type I and II collagens. Efficacy of treatment over six months post-surgery was assessed by a panel of blinded radiologists to determine the proportion of subjects with radiographic bridging of fractures in both the OBM efficacy group and the SOC group. Limb function, weight-bearing, pain and mobility at the fracture site were assessed by the investigator. Patient satisfaction with the treatment and quality of life were assessed using the SF 36 quality of life questionnaire. RESULTS : 14 OBM patients and five SOC patients completed the first three months of the safety investigation. 10 OBM patients and four SOC patients completed the full six months of the efficacy investigation. Biochemical and hematological parameters were within normal ranges. The efficacy evaluation at six months indicated that 70 % of participants in the OBM group had bridging of the bone defect and 80 % were weight-bearing versus 50 % in the SOC group. The quality of life study demonstrated an increased level of satisfaction as compared with the baseline. Histological analysis of a single biopsy specimen at three months revealed bone regeneration activity within the implanted OBM. CONCLUSIONS : The study showed that treatment with OBM was well tolerated in participants and there was no evidence of clinically relevant toxicity or immunological, biochemical, hematological or adverse reaction due to the use of OBM. There was better bridging in the OBM group versus SOC. Pharmacoeconomic analysis showed OBM to be cost-effective versus standard of care.The Technology Innovation Agency (formerly the Innovation Fund) of the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/jorhj2024PharmacologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Assessing the human health risks of indoor PM2.5 exposure in urban and rural households in two provinces of South Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.Please read abstract in the article.Royal Academy of Engineering GCRF grant; the NIHR HPRU in Environmental Exposures and Health at the University of Leicester; the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Environmental Exposures and Health at the University of Leicester Development Award, a partnership between the UK Health Security Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and the University of Leicester; a PhD scholarship from the Institute for Environmental Futures at the University of Leicester.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/atmosenv2025-12-30hj2024Geography, Geoinformatics and MeteorologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-11:Sustainable cities and communitie

Effectiveness of combined targeted and hormonal therapies for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer : a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs

AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS : All study data will be archived on Figshare for future reference and/or reanalysis.OBJECTIVE : we aim to synthesize available evidence on the effectiveness of hormonal plus targeted therapies for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. DATA SOURCES AND METHODS : We searched the following databases: Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and African Journal. Only studies that investigated the effectiveness of hormonal therapy combined with targeted therapy for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treatment were included. The outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). A random-effect meta-analysis model was employed. Statistical analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis version 3. RESULTS : 24 studies were included in the meta-analysis with an overall sample size of 7635. Median PFS, OS and ORR were found to be significantly increased in the combination group compared to hormonal monotherapy [SMD = 6.072 (95% CI = 3.785–8.360), p < 0.001], [SMD = 1.614 (95% CI = 0.139–3.089), p = 0.032] and [OR = 1.584 (CI 1.134–2.213), p = 0.007] respectively. Subgroup analysis showed a significant difference in PFS and ORR between patients who received “hormonal therapy + CDK4/6 inhibitors” vs hormonal therapy only [SMD = 6.015 (CI 3.069–8.960), p < 0.001], (OR = 1.828 (CI 1.030–3.243), p = 0.039] respectively. CONCUSION : Compared with hormonal monotherapy, targeted plus hormonal therapy significantly improves PFS, OS and ORR in postmenopausal women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer.https://journals.sagepub.com/home/OPPhj2024PhysiotherapySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Clostridioides difficile hypervirulent strain ST1 isolated from clinical stool specimens obtained from three Provinces in South Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.Please read abstract in the article.Professor MM Ehlers, through an NHLS trust grant. Whole-genome sequencing of bacterial isolates was made possible by support from the SeqAfrica project which is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care's Fleming Fund using UK aid. A student bursary was provided by the National Research Foundation.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/anaerobehj2024Medical MicrobiologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Exploring the challenges arising from soil management in no-till conservation agriculture

There are many situations in the world that are not suitable for the implementation of no-till-based “conservation agriculture” (CA). These are mainly in marginal rainfed cropping areas in the hot, dry mid-latitudes. It is not possible to maintain the required levels of organic matter in the soil in these areas. Under no-till applied plant nutrients accumulate in the upper few centimeters of the soil, where they cannot really be exploited by plant roots. Liming to ameliorate acid soil conditions is ineffective, because the impact of the lime is confined to the upper few centimeters of the soil. Serious soil compaction, largely by means of wheel traffic, occurs close to the soil surface under no-till. Because roots are confined to soil above the compacted layer, they cannot exploit water stored in the soil below the compacted layer. This leads to poor yields due to drought stress. Compacted soil layers due to no-till predispose crop roots to infection by root rot diseases. It is essential to do a thorough evaluation of the land suitability of an area for no-till based CA before a decision is taken to implement it or not.https://www.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/advances-in-agronomy2026-01-21hj2024Plant Production and Soil ScienceSDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-15:Life on lan

Multi-parameter investigation of Cretaceous to Palaeocene sedimentary sequences in the Anambra and Niger Delta Basins, Nigeria : organic matter characterisation, palynofacies and implications for palaeoclimate and sea-level changes

DATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.The Anambra Basin of Nigeria, part of the larger West and Central African Rift System (WCARS) across Africa, contains primarily Cretaceous to Palaeocene shallow to marginal marine and freshwater sedimentary deposits. The organic-rich deposits of the Cretaceous Nkporo and Mamu formations within the Anambra Basin and the Palaeocene Imo Formation of the Niger Delta Basin constitute important conventional source rocks. Despite its economic significance, research on organic matter characterisation, palynofacies, sea-level fluctuations, palaeoclimate, hydrogeography, basin restriction, palaeobathymetry and the factors controlling organic matter preservation remains largely undocumented. The here presented new inorganic and organic geochemical and organic petrography data of the Cretaceous to Palaeocene deposits serve to refine the regional interpretation at a basinal scale and within the supra-regional context of the WCARS. Geochemical palaeotemperature proxies suggest a warm and humid tropical palaeoclimate during the Late Cretaceous within the study area. Furthermore, the measured TOC values indicate poor to very good organic content. Palynofacies analysis revealed high abundances of opaque and translucent phytoclasts and low amounts of palynomorphs with negligible amorphous organic matter (AOM) in the studied mudrocks. Two palynofacies groups suggest shallow-marine conditions in a proximal shelf setting and a heterolithic oxic basin. The palynofacies of the upper Imo Formation reveal higher percentages of dinoflagellate cysts during the early highstand phase, with equidimensional, opaque phytoclasts representing the maximum flooding phase, accompanied by warmer conditions. Additionally, abundant terrestrial phytoclasts, Deltoidospora spp., Classopollis spp. and geochemical indicators collectively indicate warm tropical climatic conditions consistent with geochemical interpretations. The palaeobathymetry reconstructions suggest a shallow seaway during the Upper Cretaceous in the Anambra Basin.The National Natural Science Foundation of China, the China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund and the University of Pretoria.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10991034GeologySDG-07:Affordable and clean energySDG-13:Climate actio