Research Articles (Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies)
Recent Submissions
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COVID-19 Disease map, building a computational repository of SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interaction mechanisms
(Springer Nature, 2020)We announce the COVID-19 Disease Map (https://doi.org/10.17881/covid19-disease-map), an effort to build a comprehensive, standardized knowledge repository of SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interaction mechanisms, guided by input ... -
Causal cognition, force dynamics and early hunting technologies
(Frontiers Media, 2018)With this contribution we analyze ancient hunting technologies as one way to explore the development of causal cognition in the hominin lineage. Building on earlier work, we separate seven grades of causal thinking. By ... -
Understanding iron metabolism : lessons from transfusion-dependent Thalassemia
(Oman Medical Specialty Board, 2018)No abstract available -
Upscaling biodiversity : estimating the species–area relationship from small samples
(Ecological Society of America, 2018)The challenge of biodiversity upscaling, estimating the species richness of a large area from scattered local surveys within it, has attracted increasing interest in recent years, producing a wide range of competing ... -
Childhood obesity in urban Ghana : evidence from a cross-sectional survey of in-school children aged 5–16 years
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-11-26)Background: Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in many low-income urban settings; but its determinants are not clear. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of childhood obesity and associated ... -
Transfusion in Haemoglobinopathies : review and recommendations for local blood banks and transfusion services in Oman
(Sultan Qaboos University, 2018)Sickle cell disease and homozygous β-thalassaemia are common haemoglobinopathies in Oman, with many implications for local healthcare services. The transfusions of such patients take place in many hospitals throughout the ... -
Developmental origins of health and disease in Africa - influencing early life
(Elsevier, 2018)It is well established that Africa is undergoing rapid transitions resulting in a triple burden of malnutrition, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).1,2 That health systems are unlikely to be able to ... -
Diffusion markers of dendritic density and arborization in gray matter predict differences in intelligence
(Nature Research (part of Springer Nature), 2018)Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with higher intelligence are more likely to have larger gray matter volume in brain areas predominantly located in parieto-frontal regions. These findings were usually ... -
Two distance memories in desert ants - modes of interaction
(Public Library of Science, 2018-10-10)Navigation plays an essential role for many animals leading a mobile mode of life, and for central place foragers in particular. One important prerequisite for navigation is the ability to estimate distances covered during ... -
Competition between silicifiers and non-silicifiers in the past and present ocean and its evolutionary impacts
(Frontiers Media, 2018)Competition is a central part of the evolutionary process, and silicification is no exception: between biomineralized and non-biomineralized organisms, between siliceous and non-siliceous biomineralizing organisms, and ... -
Coupling, reinforcement, and speciation
(University of Chicago Press, 2018)During the process of speciation, populations may diverge for traits and at their underlying loci that contribute barriers to gene flow. These barrier traits and barrier loci underlie individual barrier effects, by which ... -
Cell-autonomous role of GFRα1 in the development of olfactory bulb GABAergic interneurons
(The Company of Biologists, 2018-05-18)GFRα1, a receptor for glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), is critical for the development of the main olfactory system. The olfactory bulb (OB) of Gfra1 knockout mice shows significant reductions in the ... -
Risky sexual behaviour and contraceptive use in contexts of displacement : insights from a cross-sectional survey of female adolescent refugees in Ghana
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-08-16)Background: Difficulty in accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare is one of the challenges young refugee women face worldwide, in addition to sexual exploitation, violence and abuse. Although Ghana hosts several ... -
Primary processing neuropils associated with the malleoli of camel spiders (Arachnida, Solifugae) : a re-evaluation of axonal pathways
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-08-02)Background - Arachnids possess highly specialized and unorthodox sense organs, such as the unique pectines of Scorpiones and the malleoli of Solifugae. While the external morphology, numbers, and shapes of sensory organs ... -
An integrated approach to processing WHO-2016 verbal autopsy data : the InterVA-5 model
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-05-30)Background: Verbal autopsy is an increasingly important methodology for assigning causes to otherwise uncertified deaths, which amount to around 50% of global mortality and cause much uncertainty for health planning. The ... -
Factors influencing the use of supervised delivery services in Garu-Tempane District, Ghana
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-04-27)Background: There is evidence that supervised delivery has the potential to improve birth outcomes for both women and newborns. However, not all women especially in low-income settings like Ghana use supervised delivery ... -
Associations between the severity of obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms and care-seeking behavior in rural Africa : a cross-sectional survey from Uganda
(Public Library of Science, 2017)Background: Global estimates indicate that by 2018 2.3 billion individuals worldwide will suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), with 1.1 billion having LUTS related to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). Left ... -
Stochastic thermodynamics for Ising chain and symmetric exclusion process
(American Physical Society, 2017)We verify the finite-time fluctuation theorem for a linear Ising chain in contact with heat reservoirs at its ends.Analytic results are derived for a chain consisting of two spins. The system can be mapped onto a model ... -
Tracking the evolution of causal cognition in humans
(Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, 2017)We suggest a seven-grade model for the evolution of causal cognition as a framework that can be used to gauge variation in the complexity of causal reasoning from the panin-hominin split until the appearance of cognitively ... -
Effectiveness of home-based nutritional counselling and support on exclusive breastfeeding in urban poor settings in Nairobi : a cluster randomized controlled trial
(BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2017)Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) improves infant health and survival. We tested the effectiveness of a homebased intervention using Community Health Workers (CHWs) on EBF for six months in urban poor settings in ...
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