Addressing Water Scarcity to Achieve Climate Resilience and Human Health.

Water scarcity is projected to affect half of the world's population, gradually exacerbated by climate change. This article elaborates from a panel discussion at the 2023 United Nations Water Conference on Addressing Water Scarcity to Achieve Climate Resilience and Human Health. Understanding and addressing water scarcity goes beyond hydrological water balances to also include societal and economic measures.

Correction: On distance-based topological indices and co-indices of fractal-type molecular graphs and their respective graph entropies.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Monitoring antigen-specific cellular immune response using an RT-ddPCR-based assay for IFN-γ gene expression.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Reverse Transcription-droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR) method in measuring T-cell-mediated immunity by quantifying IFN-γ mRNA expression. The results demonstrated that peak IFN-γ expression occurred approximately 4 h after stimulation of whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by stimulants. The fold activation of IFN-γ mRNA expression in 100 µL of blood challenged with CEF peptides was lower than that observed in PBMCs.

Mitigation of zinc leaching from waste ground tire rubbers through polymer encapsulation.

The increasing disposal of waste tires is a growing environmental challenge requiring innovative recycling and reuse approaches. Crumb rubber, derived from end-of-life tires, has potential for various applications where resilience and elasticity are required. However, as highlighted by the upcoming ban on using crumb rubber granulate as infill for artificial turf in the EU, one of the most prominent issues, zinc leaching, urgently requires an effective solution.

Polyurethane Waste Recycling: Thermolysis of the Carbamate Fraction.

The alcoholysis of polyurethane waste is currently being industrialized, making it one of the most advanced chemical recycling processes for polyurethanes. However, the recycling potential of the dicarbamate phase, which accounts for 10-40% of the polyurethane mass, is often disregarded, as mainly the polyol components are (partially) retrieved in many alcoholysis processes. In this study, we present a two-step recycling method in which the valuable carbamate fraction obtained in the initial alcoholysis step is transformed into an isocyanate-rich mixture through an additional thermolysis step.

Utilizing the CFIR framework for mapping the facilitators and barriers of implementing teachers led school mental health programs - a scoping review.

Background: Ample evidence has been generated regarding the effectiveness of school-based mental health interventions as part of the continuum of care for children and capacity building of teachers to deal with the emotional and behavioral challenges of students. The increasing trend of utilization of teachers as the natural support system of children and the huge financial impact of public health interventions highlights the need to review all available evidence regarding multilevel factors that facilitate or pose a challenge to the provision of School Mental Health Programs (SMHP) using teachers as providers. The current review aims to map extracted evidence under the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains to support future implementation research on school-based mental health services.

Compliance of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in emergency and elective colorectal cancer surgery with a perspective from a developing country.

Objective: To evaluate compliance with enhanced recovery after surgery protocol of patients undergoing colorectal carcinoma surgery, and to compare its effect on outcomes.

Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Maroof International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised data from July 15, 2016, to March 20, 2022, of patients of either gender undergoing elective or emergency colorectal carcinoma surgery. Data included age, gender, tumour site, type of surgery, surgical approach, compliance with each of the 25 components of the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol, length of hospital stay, surgery duration, 30-day readmission rate and perioperative mortality.

Calcium oxide nanoparticles ameliorate cadmium toxicity in alfalfa seedlings by depriving its bioaccumulation, enhancing photosystem II functionality and antioxidant gene expression.

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic and carcinogenic pollutant that poses significant risks to living organisms and the environment, as it is absorbed by the plant roots and accumulates in different parts of crop during its production. A promising sustainable strategy to counteract these threats to use calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaO-NPs) as soil supplements in fodder crops. This approach has shown notable morpho-physiological and biochemical improvements under metal toxicity conditions.

Trends in cerebrovascular disease-related mortality among older adults in the United States from 1999 to 2020: An analysis of gender, race/ethnicity, and geographical disparities.

Background: One of the most prevalent causes of morbidity and death is cerebrovascular disease in the US. The manifestations and pathophysiology of cerebrovascular disease are significantly impacted by ageing and determine the quality of one's late life. However, contemporary mortality trends in cerebrovascular disease and comparison to older adults of different gender, race, and geographic disparities have not been fully examined.

Enhancing work zone crash severity analysis: The role of synthetic minority oversampling technique in balancing minority categories.

Road work zones are becoming increasingly common due to the aging infrastructure and the need for capacity enhancement. They present significant safety risks due to narrow lanes, uneven traffic flow, lower speed, and reduced visibility. It is particularly important to understand the role of human behavioral factors in WZ crash injury severity due to difficulty navigating such areas.

Sustainable Assessment of Bio-Colorant from Bakain Bark ( L.) for Dyeing of Cellulosic and Proteinous Fabric.

The current study proceeded to reduce the environmental hazards spreading worldwide due to synthetic dyes. To overcome these problems, eco-friendly natural dyes are introduced as alternative sources of synthetic dyes. The present study was focused on exploring the bio-colorant of the aqueous and acidic extract of the bark of L.

Nucleotide excision repair of aflatoxin-induced DNA damage within the 3D human genome organization.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a potent mycotoxin, is one of the environmental risk factors that cause liver cancer. In the liver, the bioactivated AFB1 intercalates into the DNA double helix to form a bulky DNA adduct which will lead to mutation if left unrepaired. Here, we adapted the tXR-seq method to measure the nucleotide excision repair of AFB1-induced DNA adducts at single-nucleotide resolution on a genome-wide scale, and compared it with repair data obtained from conventional UV-damage XR-seq.

Complications and Revision Surgery in Orthopedics Focusing on Traumatology.

Background: Orthopedic traumatology, a vital component of orthopedic surgery, poses significant challenges in managing complications and necessitating revision surgeries. These challenges impact clinical outcomes, healthcare economics, and patient well-being.

Objective: This study aimed to provide insights that informed clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes by thoroughly examining the range of complications encountered in orthopedic traumatology.

Biodegradation of hydroxylated boron nitride nanoplatelets, their toxic effect and drug delivery application.

Boron nitride is extensively used in various biomedical applications and often interacting with the blood circulatory system. However, the effect of its biotransformation in blood plasma, drug delivery applications, and antitumor effects remains unclear. Herein, we synthesized hydroxylated BN nanoplatelets (-OH/BNNPs) that are used to load doxorubicin (DOX) for cancer therapy.

Sugar beet ( L.) leaves as natural colorant for cotton dyeing using an ecofriendly approach toward industrial progress.

In the industrial sector, vegetable residual materials have received attention in the production of bio-colorant for textile dyeing. The current research endeavor is centered on investigating the possibility of using sugar beet leaves as a natural source of dye for the purpose of dyeing cotton fabrics. Different extraction methods were utilized to isolate the bio-colorant present in sugar beet residual material, and the most favorable colorant yield was obtained using a 5% methanolic KOH solution.

Efficacy and Safety of Stem Cell Therapy for Orthopedic Conditions, Including Osteoarthritis and Bone Defects.

Introduction: Orthopedic conditions like osteoarthritis and bone defects pose significant challenges due to their impact on individuals' quality of life. Traditional treatments often provide only symptomatic relief, necessitating alternative therapies for long-term management. Stem cell therapy has grabbed attention for its regenerative and immunomodulatory properties, offering potential for tissue repair and functional restoration.

Urban wastewater disinfection by FeCl-activated biochar/peroxymonosulfate system: Escherichia coli inactivation and microplastics interference.

Biochar coupled with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to produce sulfate radicals and its application to urban wastewater disinfection has been rarely investigated and no information is available about microplastics (MPs) interference on the disinfection process. In this study, FeCl-activated biochar (Fe-BC) was coupled to PMS to evaluate the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in real secondary treated urban wastewater.

Recurrent Acute Limb Ischemia and Successful Treatment with Endovascular Thrombectomy.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events; however, many patients with AF are noncompliant with medication regimens, which increases said risk substantially. Suboptimal health literacy presents significant hurdles to compliance with medical treatment. Here we present a case of an elderly Hispanic woman with AF and several comorbidities, including a history of dementia, who presented with consecutive recurrence of acute limb ischemia in the bilateral lower extremities just 3 days apart.

Bell's Palsy, an Adverse Event Following COVID Vaccines.

Introduction: Bell's palsy is one of the most concerning complications of the COVID vaccine that has impacted vaccine acceptance among the general population. These vaccines were introduced to provide immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and have been found to be quite effective. Little did we know that Bell's palsy could be one of its serious complications.

Unveiling the influence of end-capped acceptors modification on photovoltaic properties of non-fullerene fused ring compounds: a DFT/TD-DFT study.

Herein, unique A-D-A configuration-based molecules (NBD1-NBD7) were designed from the reference compound (NBR) by utilizing the end-capped acceptor modification approach. Various electron-withdrawing units -F, -Cl, -CN, -NO, -CF, -HSO, and -COOCH, were incorporated into terminals of reference compound to designed NBD1-NBD7, respectively. A theoretical investigation employing the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) was performed at B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level.

Green extraction and application of yellow natural curcumin colorant from Curcuma aromatica rhizomes for silk dyeing.

Green products such as plant tints are becoming more and more well-known worldwide due to their superior biological and ayurvedic properties. In this work, colorant from Amba Haldi (Curcuma aromatica) was isolated using microwave (MW), and bio-mordants were added to produce colorfast shades. Response surface methodology was used to develop a central composite design (CCD), which maximizes coloring variables statistically.

Co-exposure to tire wear particles and nickel inhibits mung bean yield by reducing nutrient uptake.

Soil and terrestrial contamination with microplastics and nanoplastics has been discussed extensively, while tire wear particles (TWPs) have been largely overlooked. We investigated the root-surface interactions and growth response of mung bean ( L.) plants exposed to tire wear particles (TWPs) (0.