Browsing by Subject "Biology"

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    Evolution of the hypoxia-sensitive cells involved in amniote respiratory reflexes
    (2017) Hockman, Dorit; Burns, Alan J; Schlosser, Gerhard; Gates, Keith P; Jevans, Benjamin; Mongera, Alessandro; Fisher, Shannon; Unlu, Gokhan; Knapik, Ela W; Kaufman, Charles K; Mosimann, Christian; Zon, Leonard I; Lancman, Joseph J; Dong, P Duc S; Lickert, Heiko; Tucker, Abigail S; Baker, Clare V H
    The evolutionary origins of the hypoxia-sensitive cells that trigger amniote respiratory reflexes – carotid body glomus cells, and ‘pulmonary neuroendocrine cells’ (PNECs) - are obscure. Homology has been proposed between glomus cells, which are neural crest-derived, and the hypoxia-sensitive ‘neuroepithelial cells’ (NECs) of fish gills, whose embryonic origin is unknown. NECs have also been likened to PNECs, which differentiate in situ within lung airway epithelia. Using genetic lineage-tracing and neural crest-deficient mutants in zebrafish, and physical fate-mapping in frog and lamprey, we find that NECs are not neural crest-derived, but endoderm-derived, like PNECs, whose endodermal origin we confirm. We discover neural crest-derived catecholaminergic cells associated with zebrafish pharyngeal arch blood vessels, and propose a new model for amniote hypoxia-sensitive cell evolution: endoderm-derived NECs were retained as PNECs, while the carotid body evolved via the aggregation of neural crest-derived catecholaminergic (chromaffin) cells already associated with blood vessels in anamniote pharyngeal arches.
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    Expression pattern and role of Foxcl during hair follicle morphogenesis
    (2004) Manda, Juziel K; Professor Sue H. Kidson
    he murine Foxcl, which encodes a forkhead/winged helix transcription factor, 1s expressed in many embryonic tissues including prechondrogenic and peri-ocular mesenchyme, meninges, endothelial cells and kidney. Homozygous Foxe] null mice embryos die at birth with hydrocephalus, eye defects, and multiple skeletal abnormalities identical to those of the classical mutant, congenital hydrocephalus. Although the structure and function of murine Foxe] has been analyzed in many embryonic tissues, relatively little is known about the expression and role of this gene in the skin. To determine the Foxe] expression pattern during embryonic and neonatal skin development, this study utilised mice in which the Lac-z reporter gene was placed under the control of wild-type Foxcl promoter by homologous combination (Kume et al, 1998, Cell 93, 985-996). Lac-z encodes enzymatically active ~-galactosidase, which converts the colourless chromogenic 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-~, Dgalactoside (X-gal) into a blue product enabling visualization of the Foxe] expression pattern. Skin samples from heterozygous and homozygous mutant mouse embryos (13.5-18.5 dpc) and neonates (P0-P7) were fixed in 4% PFA, stained for ~- galactosidase activity and processed for histology. Foxe] expression was detected by the presence of the blue colour. The results show that Foxe] is specifically expressed in the epithelial cells of the hair follicles at all stages of embryonic skin development. In the developing hair follicles Foxcl promoter activity is induced at high levels in the post-mitotic precursor cells of the hair shaft, inner root sheath and sebaceous gland of the pelage hair and whisker follicles. In mature anagen hair follicles, high levels of Foxcl are persistently detected in the keratogenous zone of the hair and sebaceous gland. Within the sebaceous glands, Foxcl was strongly expressed in cells that are located at the centre of the gland. Within the Foxcl-expressing compartments, most cells do not exhibit the nuclear proliferation marker BrdU. Co-localisation of Foxe] and apoptotic marker TUNEL was detected in keratogenous zone of the hair and in cells located closer to the sebaceous gland duct. Foxe] expression switched off during telogen. These results XVI suggest that Foxe] expression is associated with the transition from a proliferative to a post-mitotic state and that Foxe] may be involved in initiation of terminal differentiation and keratinization. High levels of Foxe] are maintained in fully differentiated hair keratinocytes and sebocytes possibly as one of the earliest events that perhaps trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis). The second objective of this study was to investigate the development of hair follicles in a mutant in order to determine the role of Foxcl. Hair follicle development was analysed in skin samples of homozygous mutant mouse embryos (13.5-l 8.5 dpc) using histological, immunocytochemical and histomorphometrical methods. Different stages of hair follicle morphogenesis were defined on the basis of accepted morphological criteria (Paus et al., 1999, J. Invest. Dermatol.; 113(4): 523-32.) Histological examination showed that hair follicle development was induced normally on the back of Foxcl mutant embryos at around 13.5 (dpc), with epidermal cells forming a hair plug (stages 1 and 2). Between 14.5 dpc - 15.5 dpc, the skin formed a completely penetrant bulbar hair follicle phenotype, which had initiated development of the inner root sheath characteristic of stages 4-5 of follicular development. Similarly, histological examination of Foxe] null follicles from 15.5 dpc to around birth showed no gross morphological defects in the hair shaft compartment where Foxe] is expressed. Quantitatively, embryonic skin showed no significant differences in rate of growth and number of hair follicles between Foxe] null mutants and wild types (P>0.05). These morphological findings suggest that the initial signalling events in embryonic hair development are independent of Foxe]. In conclusion, histological examination of the mutant skin shows that pelage hair follicle formation is initiated and proceeds normally up to the formation the bulbar hair follicles (stages 5) with no recognisable effects on the total number of induced hair follicles. The results show that Foxcl signalling is not required for induction and early development of hair follicle in embryos. Foxcl signalling, however, is likely to be essential for regulating differentiation of post-natal hair and sebaceous gland. Fmiher studies to determine how Foxe] signalling regulates post-natal hair follicle differentiation will be an excellent area for future research.
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    Flight feather moult patterns and stable isotope analysis in the Woodland Kingfisher
    (2024) Ramudzuli, Abigail; Ryan, Peter
    The Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis is an intra-African migrant that is widely distributed south of the Sahara. Migrating populations have to undergo an annual cycle that includes two migrations between the breeding and non-breeding grounds, the renewal of feathers and reproduction. All the mentioned processes are energetically expensive and they need special physiological adaptations. I investigated the timing of moult by actively catching Woodland Kingfishers in the field and scoring them for moult. This showed that migrating Woodland Kingfishers that breed in South Africa do not moult their flight feathers while they are on their breeding grounds. Resident populations in Ghana and Uganda sampled between June and August, during their breeding season, were also not in moult, but some individuals were growing feathers that they had lost through mechanical damage. Moult data from the SAFRING database also showed no evidence of active moult for all adult birds in the southern Africa region, suggesting that they moult on the non-breeding grounds. This knowledge of moult allows us to use natural markers that are fixed in feathers to potentially infer where migrant birds spend their non-breeding period. To infer non-breeding grounds of the Woodland Kingfisher, I measured stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ 13C), nitrogen (δ 15N) and hydrogen (δ 2H) in primary (P1), secondary (S1) and tail (R1) feathers from birds caught in Ghana, South Africa and Uganda between 2015 and 2018 during the respective breeding seasons. Feather δ 13C of Woodland Kingfishers caught in Ghana suggest that these birds grow their feathers in areas dominated by C3 plants, whereas feathers from Woodland Kingfishers caught in Uganda and South Africa indicated that they moulted in areas dominated by C4 plants. This enables us to assign birds to different feeding areas. The δ 2H values were highest in South African feathers but not significantly different from the Ghanaian feathers, while the Ugandan δ 2H feather values were the lowest. The similar δ 13C and δ 2H values of feathers of birds from Uganda and South Africa suggests that the non-breeding grounds of the migrant South African population lies within the same isoscape band as that of Ugandan birds. δ 15N values, which indicate trophic levels, were similar for all the birds, suggesting that Woodland Kingfishers in Ghana, South Africa and Uganda forage on similar prey. The observations of colourringed Woodland Kingfishers in Uganda outside the breeding seasons confirm the Ugandan population to be sedentary and this enabled us to infer that the birds that were caught in this area were sedentary. While yet-unpublished telemetry data indicates Woodland Kingfishers that breed in South African spend their non-breeding period in areas around Chad, Sudan and Central African Republic. This region is within the same δ 13C isoscape as Uganda. The use of stable isotopes, especially when combined with other techniques, shows a lot potential as means of inferring the nonbreeding grounds of migrating Woodland Kingfishers. The approach of exploring moult patterns and analysing SI signals should be expanded for use on other intra-African migratory bird species because the migratory behaviour of most intra-African migrants still remains unknown.
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    Knowledge, attitude and perception of African immigrants in South Africa to Covid-19 vaccination
    (2024) Ohiagu, Shedrach; Ras, Tasleem
    Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges globally. Vaccination has emerged as a crucial tool in mitigating the impact of the virus. However, the success of vaccination campaigns depends largely on public acceptance and uptake. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of African immigrant participants towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which a close-ended validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 202 participants from a periurban area of Cape Town. Participants were presented with a series of questions assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Responses were scored and categorised to evaluate the participants' understanding and acceptance of the vaccine. Results: The study included 202 participants with a mean age of 31.6 years, ranging from 18 to 80 years. The majority (42.5%) fell within the 26-33 years age group, and 65% were aged 33 or younger. Males constituted 60% of the participants, and about half (49.5%) were born in Zimbabwe. A significant portion (68.53%) had not experienced COVID-19 symptoms, while 47% had not received any COVID-19 vaccination at the time of the research. With regards to the overall knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine, 24.26% have poor knowledge, 46.04% have fair knowledge, and 29.70% have good knowledge. With regards to overall attitude, 59% have a negative attitude, and 41% have a positive attitude. For the overall perception, 52% have a negative perception and 48% a positive perception. Conclusion: These findings underscore the complexity of vaccine acceptance and highlight the need for multifaceted strategies to improve vaccine uptake. These could include educational interventions to address knowledge gaps and misconceptions, as well as strategies to leverage social influence and address attitudinal barriers to vaccination. Further research is needed to explore these factors in more depth and develop effective interventions for improving vaccine acceptance and uptake among this population.
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    Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
    (2005) Rahlao, Sebataolo; Hoffman, Timm
    Changes in species richness and vegetation composition in the diverse semi arid Succulent Karoo vegetation of South Africa were investigated after 67 • (1937-2004) years of rest from grazing at the Worcester Veld Reserve. Vegetation change in 70 plots at this 75 ha site was assessed using multi variate ordination techniques. Changes in plant communities on termitaria sites were consistently greater than for adjacent off-termitaria sites and the north-facing slopes changed more than the south-facing slopes. There was a higher increase in diversity on off-termitaria than termitaria sites. On termitaria sites there was a general decrease in stem succulents, particularly Euphorbia mauretanica and an increase in long-lived evegreen shrubs such as Pteronia incana and Asparagus suaveo/ens. Most sites changed in a similar direction primarily determined by their association with termitaria and secondarily with .. aspect. These findings suggest a predictable and directional replacement sequence under changing disturbance (grazing) regimes in a semi-arid region.
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    Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
    (2005) Rahlao, Sebataolo; Hoffman, Timm
    Changes in species richness and vegetation composition in the diverse semi arid Succulent Karoo vegetation of South Africa were investigated after 67 • (1937-2004) years of rest from grazing at the Worcester Veld Reserve. Vegetation change in 70 plots at this 75 ha site was assessed using multi variate ordination techniques. Changes in plant communities on termitaria sites were consistently greater than for adjacent off-termitaria sites and the north-facing slopes changed more than the south-facing slopes. There was a higher increase in diversity on off-termitaria than termitaria sites. On termitaria sites there was a general decrease in stem succulents, particularly Euphorbia mauretanica and an increase in long-lived evegreen shrubs such as Pteronia incana and Asparagus suaveo/ens. Most sites changed in a similar direction primarily determined by their association with termitaria and secondarily with .. aspect. These findings suggest a predictable and directional replacement sequence under changing disturbance (grazing) regimes in a semi-arid region
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    A pandemic recap: lessons we have learned
    (2021-09-10) Coccolini, Federico; Cicuttin, Enrico; Cremonini, Camilla; Tartaglia, Dario; Viaggi, Bruno; Kuriyama, Akira; Picetti, Edoardo; Ball, Chad; Abu-Zidan, Fikri; Ceresoli, Marco; Turri, Bruno; Jain, Sumita; Palombo, Carlo; Guirao, Xavier; Rodrigues, Gabriel; Gachabayov, Mahir; Machado, Fernando; Eftychios, Lostoridis; Kanj, Souha S; Di Carlo, Isidoro; Di Saverio, Salomone; Khokha, Vladimir; Kirkpatrick, Andrew; Massalou, Damien; Forfori, Francesco; Corradi, Francesco; Delibegovic, Samir; Machain Vega, Gustavo M.; Fantoni, Massimo; Demetriades, Demetrios; Kapoor, Garima; Kluger, Yoram; Ansari, Shamshul; Maier, Ron; Leppaniemi, Ari; Hardcastle, Timothy; Vereczkei, Andras; Karamagioli, Evika; Pikoulis, Emmanouil; Pistello, Mauro; Sakakushev, Boris E.; Navsaria, Pradeep H.; Galeiras, Rita; Yahya, Ali I; Osipov, Aleksei V; Dimitrov, Evgeni; Doklestić, Krstina; Pisano, Michele; Malacarne, Paolo; Carcoforo, Paolo; Sibilla, Maria G.; Kryvoruchko, Igor A; Bonavina, Luigi; Kim, Jae I; Shelat, Vishal G; Czepiel, Jacek; Maseda, Emilio; Marwah, Sanjay; Chirica, Mircea; Biancofiore, Giandomenico; Podda, Mauro; Cobianchi, Lorenzo; Ansaloni, Luca; Fugazzola, Paola; Seretis, Charalampos; Gomez, Carlos A.; Tumietto, Fabio; Malbrain, Manu; Reichert, Martin; Augustin, Goran; Amato, Bruno; Puzziello, Alessandro; Hecker, Andreas; Gemignani, Angelo; Isik, Arda; Cucchetti, Alessandro; Nacoti, Mirco; Kopelman, Doron; Mesina, Cristian; Ghannam, Wagih; Ben-Ishay, Offir; Dhingra, Sameer; Coimbra, Raul; Moore, Ernest E; Cui, Yunfeng; Quiodettis, Martha A.; Bala, Miklosh; Testini, Mario; Diaz, Jose; Girardis, Massimo; Biffl, Walter L; Hecker, Matthias; Sall, Ibrahima; Boggi, Ugo; Materazzi, Gabriele; Ghiadoni, Lorenzo; Matsumoto, Junichi; Zuidema, Wietse P; Ivatury, Rao; Enani, Mushira A; Litvin, Andrey; Al-Hasan, Majdi N.; Demetrashvili, Zaza; Baraket, Oussama; Ordoñez, Carlos A; Negoi, Ionut; Kiguba, Ronald; Memish, Ziad A; Elmangory, Mutasim M; Tolonen, Matti; Das, Korey; Ribeiro, Julival; O’Connor, Donal B; Tan, Boun K; Van Goor, Harry; Baral, Suman; De Simone, Belinda; Corbella, Davide; Brambillasca, Pietro; Scaglione, Michelangelo; Basolo, Fulvio; De’Angelis, Nicola; Bendinelli, Cino; Weber, Dieter; Pagani, Leonardo; Monti, Cinzia; Baiocchi, Gianluca; Chiarugi, Massimo; Catena, Fausto; Sartelli, Massimo
    On January 2020, the WHO Director General declared that the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The world has faced a worldwide spread crisis and is still dealing with it. The present paper represents a white paper concerning the tough lessons we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, an international and heterogenous multidisciplinary panel of very differentiated people would like to share global experiences and lessons with all interested and especially those responsible for future healthcare decision making. With the present paper, international and heterogenous multidisciplinary panel of very differentiated people would like to share global experiences and lessons with all interested and especially those responsible for future healthcare decision making.
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    Sneaky African fig wasps that oviposit through holes drilled by other species
    (2009) Compton, Stephen G; Van Noort, Simon; McLeish, Michael; Deeble, Mark; Stone, Victoria
    Watshamiella Wiebes species (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae: Sycoryctinae) were observed to engage, monitor and subsequently use oviposition holes made by other parasitoid fig wasp genera (Apocrypta Coquerel and Sycoryctes Mayr) to oviposit into host figs (Moraceae, Ficus) through the fig wall. They may be inquilines, klepto-parasitoids, or hyper-parasitoids; however, further biological investigations of larval diet are required to establish their life history strategy. Watshamiella species are morphologically robust, with enlarged fore femora and tibia, and aggressively interact with other fig wasps and ants. Our observations contribute towards unravelling the complex suite of behavioural adaptations and interactions involved in the community ecology of the obligate mutualism that exists between fig wasps and their host figs.
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    Stress adaptions of the resurrection fern Anemia caffrorum's microbiome and metabolism across seasons
    (2024) Wittenberg, Michael; Farrant, Jill; Hilhorst, Henk
    Resurrection plants can tolerate desiccation for extended periods of time. So far, Anemia caffrorum is the only known resurrection plant which exhibits this phenomenon seasonally. In the wet season, its fronds are desiccation sensitive (DS) whilst in the dry season they are desiccation tolerant (DT) and can survive losing more than 95% of their cellular water content. Its rhizome on the other hand is tolerant all year round and likely regulates the tolerance of the fronds. As such, it provides a unique model to contrast desiccation sensitivity and tolerance within the same plant species. Furthermore, previous transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses on the rhizome suggested that it attempts to modulate its microbiome during desiccation and its response to pathogenic microorganisms during the wet season. Therefore, in this study, A. caffrorum was used as a model to identify microorganisms associated with either plant desiccation sensitivity or tolerance and characterize their dynamics in response to fluctuations in water content and across seasons. Furthermore, to identify potential signaling or selection mechanisms between A. caffrorum and its associated microorganisms, matching metabolomics was conducted. Additionally, this allowed for the characterization of the metabolic mechanisms of desiccation tolerance employed by A. caffrorum and its associated microbes. To this end, the root endosphere, rhizosphere and bulk soil controls were sampled from A. caffrorum in its natural environment across seasons. This captured samples from hydrated DS individuals as well as desiccated and rehydrated DT individuals. In order to characterize their bacterial and fungal compositions, genomic DNA extracts of all samples were subjected to 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing on a PacBio Sequel II platform. In addition, polar metabolites and lipids were measured from these samples using combinations of untargeted Gas and Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The results showed that indeed A. caffrorum can enrich its endosphere with beneficial taxa such as symbiotrophs whilst excluding pathogens. Furthermore, A. caffrorum can shape its microbiome across seasons and changing water contents to respond to stress. In the hydrated state, particularly in the DS individuals, biotic stress appeared to be prioritized as these samples exhibited numerous pathogenic, antibiotic producing and antibiotic resistant taxa in addition to antibiotic metabolites. In addition, a number of growth promoting bacteria were found to be increased in these hydrated samples which may assist A. caffrorum with growth processes during water availability. In response to desiccation, triacylglycerols and phospholipids were accumulated. Moreover, simple monosaccharides were likely mobilized to more complex desiccation protective di- and trisaccharides. This shift may have selected for an increase of glycolytic and saprobic taxa. Such functionalities may be beneficial to A. caffrorum during desiccation and potentially allow for rapid remobilization of nutrients upon rehydration. Network analysis within the endosphere identified that microbes were generally most linked to lipid metabolism. Here the antibiotic producer Dactylosporangium was the top taxa influencing network topology and was exclusively correlated to numerous lyso phospholipids which are known as signaling molecules involved in inter alia the plant immune response. Thus, A. caffrorum may efficiently regulate its microbiome by acting on influential antibiotic producing taxa. These findings, if validated through further studies, highlight possible mechanisms through which crops may also modulate their microbiomes in response to stress. This could contribute to ensuring food security under increasing climate change driven biotic and abiotic stress
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    The design, development, and validation of an accessible high flow nasal oxygen solution with patient scoring outputs
    (2024) Reabow, Brandon; ,
    Introduction Acute respiratory failure patients are admitted to healthcare units to treat hypoxemic symptoms. High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO) device are medical oxygen therapy devices, with its use emerging through the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing to treat congenital diseases, to effectively treat poor patient vitals and oxygenate patients. Clinical settings such as the general ward, for which HFNO is suitable, is left to be managed with manual patient monitoring means. Continuous monitoring methods are generally not accessible to these settings. With no high flow devices targeting means to provide this option without sophisticated medical devices, patient care may be limited. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an HFNO device that interfaced with predicate patient vital sign sensors that provided medical professionals with the Respiratory Rate and Oxygenation (ROX) patient score. The score has been validated to aid in early detection of patient deterioration and informing clinicians on treatment prognosis, improving patient care. Materials & Method A standalone HFNO device was designed with subsystems that are characteristic of the common treatment components of HFNO, which included the Oxygen Regulator and Mixer Unit, the Humidification and Heating Unit, and the Patient Airway Device. Additionally, a Patient Vitals Acquisition Unit for acquiring patient vitals was incorporated into the system architecture. The subsystem designs were based on requirements ad specifications informed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) clinical guidance and ISO 8601-2-90:2021 safety and performance requirements. An iterative and fast prototyping approach was adopted, with a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis for assessing risks in safety and failure in performances, to produce design and development outcomes for each unit and the integrated overall device. The study progressed through various processes of verification and validation. The outcomes were verified based on meeting the technical specifications outlined and conducted in the Medical Devices Laboratory (MDL) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) under simulated compressed air inputs. The system was fully integrated and validated by testing the accuracy of oxygen settings guided by ISO 80601-2-90:2021 and interfacing with all peripherals within the clinical setting, simulated within the Groote Schuur Clinical Skills department. The HFNO device with patient vitals were connected to medical oxygen source and the Simman patient simulator to demonstrate the intended use and feasibility within the relevant context. Results and Observations All units were manufactured successfully and tested for essential performance and integral safety. Initial tests with simulated compressed air supply showed flow rate outputs of up to 70 l/min with sufficient automated flow rate control and manual oxygen concentration settings of 21-100%. The humidification unit provided permissible humidification loads of up to 100%RH, and 37°C gas heating which reduced humidification loads to 48%RH at 60 l/min. The patient airway device fit the Laerdal Patient Airway Management trainer effectively. The patient vitals sensors provided respiratory rate capture of 3 to 90 breaths per minute, and the pulse oximetry data connectivity to the system. The maximum error in oxygen flow rates greater than 30 l/min was - 5.69 l/min for 30% FiO2. Maximum errors of +3.2% FiO2 were shown for flow rates less than 15 l/min and greater than 30 l/min. The respiratory rate and pulse oximetry measurements were used to produce the ROX and modified ROX scores in real-time within the clinical setting for simulated patients for unsuccessful and successful treatment pathways. Conclusions A preliminary HFNO solution was developed and performed well amongst performance criteria of commonly used products. The solution was produced affordably within a research and development context and on a basis of materials only. The automatic access to respiratory rate, a good basis for predicted outcomes illustrated the benefit of the system. Ultimately, the results and the solution had implications for improving HFNO within resource-poor settings.
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    The effect of clothing on decomposition and scavenging in two forensically significant habitats in Cape Town, South Africa
    (2024) Adams, Kara Sierra; Gibbon, Victoria
    In South Africa, identifying unknown human remains presents an ongoing challenge given the high murder rate in the country. A crucial aspect of the forensic death investigation involves estimating the postmortem interval, which is influenced by biogeographic factors specific to the region. To ensure the collection of forensically relevant data, the experimental design incorporated single, clothed individuals, as they constitute the majority of unidentified human remains in the Western Cape province. The effect of clothing on scavenging and decomposition were examined in two forensically significant habitats in Cape Town, South Africa. To explore the impact of clothing on scavenging and decomposition, research was conducted in two open habitats, one periurban habitat and one suburban habitat. Six clothed and uncaged porcine carcasses weighing 60kg each were deployed between July 2021 and January 2023 (FHS SEC REF 018_023 & 022_001). Data were collected on carcass mass loss over time, vertebrate scavenger activity, prevailing weather, and carcass tissue desiccation. A comparative sample of 16 unclothed carcasses deployed between 2014 and 2016 was analysed to assess the impact of clothing and biomass load on the decomposition rate. Overall, winter-season clothing delayed decomposition, but summer-season clothing accelerated the process. Carcass weight loss was directly affected by the scavenging of the Cape grey mongoose (Galerella pulverulenta), which accelerated the decomposition rate. Additionally, single carcasses within the same habitat decomposed quicker than the multi-carcass deployments. Natural precocious mummification is a unique phenomenon documented in the Western Cape province, and a novel component of this research was that it formed the first quantitative assessment of desiccation leading to precocious mummification. Printed computing boards inserted into the carcass tissue recorded full-thickness tissue moisture content from three sites on each carcass in 15-minute intervals. The data were analysed through generalised additive modelling with environmental temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and precipitation as covariates. Desiccation in summer appeared to follow an exponential decline, and temperature was the most influential environmental factor. These novel data demonstrate the potential of utilising accumulated degree days and moisture content to estimate the postmortem interval. The combined results advocate using single-clothed carcasses deployed across multiple seasonal trials in forensically significant locations to produce data that can be considered forensically realistic.