Breakup of the weakly bound 17F nucleus

The breakup of the radioactive 17F nucleus into a proton and 16O is studied for the reaction 17F + 208Pb --> p + 16O + 208Pb at 65 MeV/nucleon. The possibility of using this reaction as a test case for studying dynamical Coulomb reacceleration effects is assessed. It is shown that the reaction is dominated by elastic nuclear breakup (diffraction dissociation).Comment: 17 figures and 8 figure

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in Africa: a scoping review of its application and validation

Child and adolescent mental health in Africa remains largely neglected. Quick and cost-effective ways for early detection may aid early intervention. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is globally used to screen for mental health problems, but little is known about its use in Africa. We set out to perform a scoping review to examine existing studies that have used the SDQ in Africa

Bartter-like syndrome caused by kanamycin during therapy for multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (MDR-TB) is a highly prevalent communicable disease in South Africa and often occurs in those with HIV infection. We describe three HIV-infected patients with pulmonary MDR-TB who received treatment with a regimen that included kanamycin and subsequently developed a Bartter-like syndrome. The clinical presentation varied from asymptomatic to severely symptomatic electrolyte disturbances, with one fatal outcome. This report highlights the importance of the routine monitoring of electrolytes in MDR-TB patients receiving treatment that includes kanamycin

The Montserrat's neighbourhood dream: involving Moroccan residents in a school-based community development process in urban Spain

Previous research has identified the potential of community-based development processes to reverse inequalities. However, in many cases, constraints arise that hinder the achievement of community goals. This article focuses on the role contributed by a school to overcome these barriers. Specifically, we address the role played by the Mare de Déu de Montserrat School, which is a Learning Community, in the launch and development of a community-based process. Known as The Dream, this process was initiated by a group of unemployed Moroccan residents in an impoverished urban neighbourhood in Spain. Through this process, the neighbours have created a self-managed community garden, which has enabled them to improve their job training and build social networks. Based on the communicative methodology, our qualitative study finds that this school has contributed to the creation of specific conditions that helped to overcome some barriers that had hindered the emergence of community responses. In addition, the contributions of the school have promoted a horizontal and dialogical organization of the process, placing neighbours in central positions in decision-making and leadership roles. This case study provides relevant theoretical and practical implications for the contributions that certain school-based interventions can provide to promote community initiatives in impoverished environments

Feasibility of Metatranscriptome Analysis from Infant Gut Microbiota: Adaptation to Solid Foods Results in Increased Activity of Firmicutes at Six Months

Peer reviewe

The burden of depression and anxiety among medical students in South Africa: A cross-sectional survey at the University of Cape Town

Background. Depressive and anxiety disorders occur at very high rates among medical students. For instance, an international review and meta-analysis estimated the overall pooled crude prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms at 27.2%. However, South African (SA) data are very limited.Objectives. To determine rates of depression and anxiety among medical students and to examine the associations with various sociodemographic variables (biological sex, gender identity, household income, ethnicity, and clinical v. pre-clinical students). We also examined whether the ‘mini-semester’ of 2017 resulting from the 2016 ‘Fees Must Fall’ student protests was associated with increased depression/anxiety.Methods. The study was a cross-sectional electronic survey conducted in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, using an anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire. The questionnaire included basic sociodemographic questions, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.Results. The sample consisted of 473 medical students, 333 (70.4%) female and 140 (29.6%) male. Based on ethnic self-identification, 165 (35.6%) were black, 144 (31.1%) white, 88 (19%) coloured, 52 (11.2%) Indian and 8 (1.7%) Asian. There were 239 pre-clinical students (50.5%) and 234 clinical students (49.5%). Of the sample, 36.4% were above the cut-off for major depressive disorder and 45.9% for anxiety disorder. Reported rates of disorders diagnosed by a health professional were 25.0% for depressive disorder and 20.5% for anxiety disorder, and 28.1% of all students were receiving psychotropic medication. Female sex was associated with both depression (prevalence ratio (PR) 3.7; p<0.001) and anxiety diagnoses (PR 4.7; p<0.001). None of the other sociodemographic characteristics showed significant associations. Interestingly, students who undertook the 2017 mini-semester showed an increased rate of depression (PR 2.1; p<0.05) and anxiety diagnoses (PR 2.1; p<0.05).Conclusions. Nearly one in four students reported depression/anxiety diagnoses and were on psychotropic medication, significantly more than age-based expectations. Even more screened positive for risk of depression/anxiety. Our findings indicate that medical students, particularly females, are at a significantly increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders. Results suggest that the 2016 student protests may have had a direct impact on the mental state of students. Multidisciplinary efforts should be targeted at initiatives to strengthen mental wellbeing and institutional culture around mental health. These efforts may help build resilience in the next generation of health professionals in SA ahead of work in an overburdened health and health education system.

RADCAP: a potential model tool for direct capture reactions

A computer program is presented aiming at the calculation of bound and continuum states, reduced transition probabilities, phase-shifts, photo-disintegration cross sections, radiative capture cross sections, and astrophysical S-factors, for a two-body nuclear system. The code is based on a potential model of a Woods-Saxon, a Gaussian, or a M3Y, type. It can be used to calculate nuclear reaction rates in numerous astrophysical scenarios.Comment: 29 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Computer Physics Communication

Traditional health practitioners' perceptions, herbal treatment and management of HIV and related opportunistic infections

Background: In South Africa, traditional health practitioners? (THPs) explanatory frameworks concerning illness aetiologies are much researched. However there is a gap in the literature on how THPs understand HIV-related opportunistic infections (OIs), i.e. tuberculosis, candidiasis and herpes zoster. This study aimed to comprehend THPs? understandings of the aforementioned; to ascertain and better understand the treatment methods used by THPs for HIV and OIs, while also contributing to the documentation of South African medicinal plants for future conservation. Methods: The study was conducted in two locations: Strand, Western Cape where THPs are trained and Mpoza village, Mount Frere, Eastern Cape from where medicinal plants are ordered or collected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 53 THPs of whom 36 were diviners (amagrirha: isangoma) and 17 herbalists (inyanga). THPs were selected through a non-probability ?snowball? method. Data were analysed using a thematic content analysis approach. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted and plants used to manage HIV and OIs were collected. A complete set of voucher specimens was deposited at the University of the Western Cape Herbarium for identification. Plant names were checked and updated with Kew?s online website http://www.theplantlist.org. Results: THPs conceptualise the aetiology of HIV and OIs at two related levels. The first involves the immediate manifestation of the illness/condition because of a viral infection in the blood (HIV), the presence of bacteria in the lungs (tuberculosis), or weakened state of the body making it susceptible to OIs. The presence of OIs is indicative of the probable presence of HIV. The second level of causation affects the first, which includes pollution, changes in cultural sexual norms, witchcraft, environmental factors, and lack of adherence to ancestral rituals. THPs reported using 17 plants belonging to 12 families. Remedies included mixes of up to five plants. Conclusion: This study explored the THPs? perspectives on HIV and commonly associated OIs and their herbal treatment methods. THPs generally rely on biomedical diagnosis before treating a client. They also seek guidance from the ancestors for a particular diagnosis, the plants to use for a specific treatment, when to harvest, and how to administer herbal remedies