The purpose of this study was to evaluate how ascorbic acid with dietary flaxseed oil affects the quality and fertility of cryopreserved ram sperm in South African indigenous rams. Treatment diets were supplemented 60 days before semen collection to afford proper spermatogenesis, adaptation to the feed formulated and fed throughout the study. Semen was collected with the use of artificial vagina following dietary supplementation with five treatment diets (neg. cont. - negative control, pos. cont. - positive control, FLO - 5% Flaxseed oil, ASA - 4% Ascorbic acid, and FLO + ASA). Semen was then extended using tris-based extender and cryopreserved using the programmable freezer (CBS Freezer 2100 series, Laboratory consumables & chemical suppliers, America). Ovaries were collected from a neighbouring slaughter house and conveyed to the lab in 0.9% saline at 37 °C. Data (sperm parameters and in vitro fertility) was then exposed to the GLM (General Linear Model) in Minitab 17. Pearson\'s correlation coefficient was utilized to investigate the relationship between cryopreserved sperm quality and in vitro fertility. The student Least Significant Difference Test was used to separate the treatment means, and differences were accepted when the p-value was less than 0.05. The FLO + ASA group had higher (p < 0.05) progressive (36.33 ± 1.87), total (88.24 ± 2.24), rapid motility (27.52 ± 1.74), intact plasma membrane (75.67 ± 2.08), total fertilization (65.98 ± 7.39), and total cleavage (66.19 ± 6.50) when compared to other treatment groups. Total fertilization rate had a medium significant (p < 0.001) medium correlation with the progressive motility (r2 = 0.435), total motility (r2 = 0.447) and rapid motility (r2 = 0.409). In conclusion, dietary flaxseed and ascorbic acid (FLO + ASA) improves cryopreserved semen quality, in vitro fertilization rate, and the total cleavage rate. Noteworthy, the progressive, total and rapid motility play a crucial in the in vitro fertilization rate.

In sentence comprehension, the parser in many languages has the option to use both the morphological form of a noun and its lexical representation when evaluating agreement. The additional step of consulting the lexicon incurs processing costs, and an important question is whether the parser takes that step even when the formal cues alone are sufficiently reliable to evaluate agreement. Our study addressed this question using electrophysiology in Zulu, a language where both grammatical gender and number features are reliably expressed formally by noun class prefixes, but only gender features are lexically specified. We observed reduced, more topographically focal LAN, and more frontally distributed alpha/beta power effects for gender compared to number agreement violations. These differences provide evidence that for gender mismatches, even though the formal cues are reliable, the parser nevertheless takes the additional step of consulting the noun\'s lexical representation, a step which is not available for number.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of non-communicable diseases (NCD). Thus, NCD risk varies in obese individuals based on the location of their fat depots; while subcutaneous adiposity is protective, visceral adiposity increases NCD risk. Although, previously anthropometric traits have been used to quantify body shape in low-income settings, there is no consensus on how it should be assessed. Hence, there is a growing interest to evaluate body shape derived from the principal component analysis (PCA) of anthropometric traits; however, this is yet to be explored in individuals of African ancestry whose body shape is different from those of Europeans. We set out to capture body shape in its multidimensional structure and examine the association between genetic variants and body shape in individuals of African ancestry.
We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for body shape derived from PCA analysis of anthropometric traits in the Ugandan General Population Cohort (GPC, n = 6407) and the South African Zulu Cohort (SZC, n = 2595), followed by a GWAS meta-analysis to assess the genetic variants associated with body shape. We identified variants in FGF12, GRM8, TLX1NB and TRAP1 to be associated with body shape. These genes were different from the genes been associated with BMI, height, weight, WC and waist-hip ration in continental Africans. Notably, we also observed that a standard deviation change in body shape was associated with an increase in blood pressure and blood lipids.
Variants associated with body shape, as a composite variable might be different for those of individual anthropometric traits. Larger studies are required to further explore these phenomena.

Breaking bad news (BBN) in healthcare is common. Guidelines abound but little is documented in an African context. We wanted to describe Zulu speaking patients\' BBN experience and assess their opinions of internationally recommended techniques.
BBN techniques were highlighted from the literature using systematic review methods. Semi-structured focus group interviews with Zulu speaking cancer patients were conducted. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis.
Language concordance was central - regardless of whether this necessitated a nurse acting as translator. While non-abandonment, empathy and maintenance of hope was valued by participants, an oft-expressed belief in positive outcomes accounted for mixed responses to phrases implying ambiguity. In contrast, \"I wish\" phrases were appreciated. Silence received mixed responses with a strong dislike for silence as a front for non-disclosure.
Language-related concerns dictated the bulk of participants BBN perspectives. While cultural and linguistic differences exist, good communication skills, empathy and the maintenance of hope remain central.
BBN in a language in which the patient is fluent, whether mediated or not, should be the standard of care. Cultural and linguistic variance must be born in mind and clinicians should become familiar with the preferences of the communities they serve.

Indigenous trade of medicinal plants in South Africa is a multi-million-rand industry and is still highly relevant in terms of primary health care. The purpose of this study was to identify today\'s most traded medicinal barks, traditionally and contemporaneously used for dermatological, gastrointestinal, and respiratory tract infections; then, to investigate the antimicrobial activity and toxicity of the respective extracts and interpret outcomes in light of pharmacokinetics. Thirty-one popularly traded medicinal barks were purchased from the Faraday and Kwa Mai-Mai markets in Johannesburg, South Africa. Information on the medicinal uses of bark-based medicines in modern commerce was recorded from randomly selected traders. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method was used for antimicrobial screening, and brine shrimp lethality was used to determine toxicity. New medicinal uses were recorded for 14 bark species. Plants demonstrating some broad-spectrum activities against tested bacteria include Elaeodendron transvaalense, Erythrina lysistemon, Garcinia livingstonei, Pterocelastrus rostratus, Rapanea melanophloeos, Schotia brachypetala, Sclerocarya birrea, and Ziziphus mucronata. The lowest MIC value of 0.004 mg/mL was observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis for a dichloromethane bark extract of E. lysistemon. The tested medicinal barks were shown to be non-toxic against the Artemia nauplii (brine shrimp) bioassay, except for a methanol extract from Trichilia emetica (69.52% mortality). Bacterial inhibition of bark extracts with minimal associated toxicity is consistent with the safety and valuable use of medicinal barks for local muthi market customers. Antimicrobial outcomes against skin and gastrointestinal pathogens are feasible because mere contact-inhibition is required in vivo; however, MIC values against respiratory pathogens require further explaining from a pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics perspective, particularly for ingested rather than smoked therapies.

Breast cancer is an incapacitating physical illness. It was once reported predominantly by patients in developed countries. With the advent of globalization, it is increasingly becoming a major health concern in developing countries such as South Africa. Breast cancer researchers have continuously advocated for original studies that address this condition from a sociocultural perspective. Consequently, in this article I examine the perceptions of breast cancer patients from underprivileged parts of Kwa Zulu Natal (KZN). Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with Zulu women at a tertiary hospital in the region. A culture-centered approach was utilized to gauge their perceptions of life as breast cancer patients within the conservative Zulu community. The findings revealed that this ailment is generally misunderstood, which has adverse implications for the patients. Furthermore, there is a dire need for breast cancer communication interventions that can acquaint the Zulu community with this condition.

Cultural practices in the African continent have been thought to impact negatively on body donation. Thus, most African countries continue to rely on unclaimed bodies for dissection programs, or bequests from the white population. The latter situation is dominant in South African medical schools. Since South Africa is multi-cultural with nine main ethnic groups of the Black African population, it is important to seek the reasons behind lack of participation in body donation. This report represents a move in this direction with its qualitative study of the cultural practices of the Zulu ethnic group in the province of KwaZulu-Natal from the perspective of a variety of participants, with emphasis on their treatment of the human body after death. Four themes emerged from interviews: (1) Death is not the end; (2) Effect of belief in ancestors; (3) Significance of rituals and customs carried out on human tissue; and (4) Burial as the only method of body disposal. Each of these themes is discussed in relation to the likelihood of body donation being seen by Zulus as an acceptable practice. It is concluded that this is unlikely, on account of the need to preserve the linkage between the physical human body and the spirit of the deceased person, and the perceived ongoing relationship between the spirit of the dead and the living. In view of these conclusions, a number of options are canvassed about the manner in which anatomists in KwaZulu-Natal might obtain bodies for dissection. These possibilities have implications for anatomists working in comparable cultural contexts.

Vocabulary selection is an important aspect to consider when designing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for children who have not yet developed conventional literacy skills. AAC team members have used core vocabulary lists (representing words most commonly and frequently used by speakers of a natural language) as a resource to assist in this process. To date, there are no core vocabulary lists for Zulu. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the vocabulary most frequently and commonly used by Zulu-speaking preschool children, in order to inform vocabulary selection for peers who use AAC. Communication samples from 6 Zulu-speaking participants without disabilities were collected during regular preschool activities. Analyses were conducted both by orthographic words and by morphological analysis of formatives. Due to the linguistic and orthographic structure of Zulu, an analysis by formatives was found to be more useful to determine a core vocabulary. The number of different formatives used, frequency of use, and commonality of use among the participants were identified. A total of 213 core formatives were identified; core formatives related to language structure were used more frequently than those that related to lexical content. The characteristics of this Zulu core vocabulary were consistent with those of core vocabularies established in other languages. Implications for the design of Zulu AAC systems are discussed.

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