Correction: Determination of reference intervals for common chemistry and immunoassay tests for Kenyan adults based on an internationally harmonized protocol and up-to-date statistical methods.

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

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in South African beverages.

This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of microplastics (MPs) in alcoholic (AB) and non-alcohol (NAB) beverages in South Africa. Beverages in various packaging materials, specifically glass, aluminium, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were tested for MP content. The samples were filtered and digested, then stained with Rose Bengal dye to facilitate particle identification, followed by physical and chemical characterisation using stereomicroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy, respectively.

Efficient Photodegradation of Thiocyanate Ions in Mining Wastewater Using a ZnO-BiOI Heterojunction.

Mining industries have long relied on cyanidation as the primary method for gold extraction, but this process generates thiocyanates as a problematic byproduct, posing challenges for wastewater treatment and recycling. The stability of thiocyanates makes their reduction or elimination in mining wastewater difficult. In this study, a heterojunction of ZnO and BiOI was created and evaluated for its ability to photodegrade thiocyanate ions under simulated solar conditions.

Investigating the altered expression of miR-486-5p and miR-novel-chr1_40444 in dysglycemia in a South African population.

Aims: This study aims to investigate miR-486-5p and miR-novel-chr1_40444 expressions in dysglycemic individuals. Validating RNA-sequencing findings in a larger sample via reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR), we aim to address global diagnostic and screening limitations, using an African cohort as an example.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1,271 individuals [normoglycemic (n = 974), prediabetic (n = 206), screen-detected type 2 diabetes (n = 91)] from the ongoing Vascular and Metabolic Health (VMH) study in Cape Town, South Africa.