Health Science Reviews

by Deborah Vennesa Subbiah The genetic composition of bacteriophages of the gastrointestinal microbiota differs significantly in healthy controls compared to individuals diseased with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A striking distinction occurs in the order of bacteriophages, Caudovirales, within the intestine of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Although not directly infecting mammalian host…

by Sedzani Mbedzi Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national agency for US that is committed to providing essential data on ASD, searching for factors that put children at risk for ASD and developing…

by Jessica Garlick You have probably heard about the elusive glymphatic system- the waste clearance system of the brain- since its recent identification has caused great excitement in the scientific community. The current literature indicates that the glymphatic system is affected by your state of arousal- whether you are awake or asleep- and is conveniently…

by Dane Sevenster The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is on the rise globally, with Africa having an estimated increase of cases from 19 million to 47 million by 2045. Africa also has one of the highest percentages of undiagnosed cases with estimates that 60% of people are unaware they are living with diabetes. These predictions show the possible…

by Samar Abrahams Introduction: Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Mtb) remains the number one killer in South Africa, with insufficient diagnostics and treatment contributing to the high mortality rates. With limited resources and the number of deaths reaching 58,000 individuals in 2019, it is imperative that all cases are detected, and that treatment is allocated to those most…

by Kate Morris Sleep. We all need it, yet few of us get enough of it. Now more than ever before the importance of sleep in protecting and prolonging the health of the brain is evident. With neurodegenerative diseases being among the most prevalent in the world today, maintaining cognitive function throughout an individual’s life…

by Chelsey Voegt Forensic anthropologists have a critical role to play in the justice system by providing law enforcement officials with a biological profile (sex, age-at-death, stature & ancestry) for unknown individuals. While the estimation of ancestry stems from anthropology’s racist history, it is still performed because law enforcement officials believe it helps with identification.…

by Hannah Livingstone Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common condition caused by a shift in the balance of bacteria that inhabit the vaginal environment and causes symptoms such as vaginal discharge and odour. A few key bacteria that grow in a low-oxygen environment have been associated with the onset of BV, including several Gardnerella species.…

by Holly Daugherty Ovarian cancer is a common gynaecological malignancy, ranking fifth in cancer deaths among women. Tumour recurrence is seen in majority of the patients, despite surgery and chemotherapy, due to the stem cell properties of the tumorigenic cells. These cancer stem cells have slow cell cycles, they are capable of self-renewing, they have…

by Carl Belger Doxorubicin or DOX is an anti-cancer drug currently used to treat a variety of cancers. However, one of its common side effects is cardiotoxicity or damage to the heart. This is caused by heart cells dying during treatment and is commonly known as DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Patients treated with DOX can experience heart…