Development and validation of the Newborn Clubfoot Screening Checklist to improve the detection of postnatal congenital talipes equinovarus among newborns by non-orthopaedic-trained healthcare workers in Sarawak General Hospital: A cross-sectional prospective study.

Introduction: Non-orthopaedic-trained healthcare professionals face challenges in identifying postnatal clubfoot deformities due to the lack of suitable assessment tools, resulting in misdiagnosis. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate the Neonatal Clubfoot Screening Checklist (NCSC) to assist non-orthopaedic-trained healthcare professionals in postnatal clubfoot assessment.

Methods: The NCSC development involved five phases: conceptual understanding of deformity components, creation of pictorial representations, tool structure design, content and face validation, pilot study and field study.

Comprehensive Advancements in Hydrogel, and Its Application in Microalgae Cultivation and Wastewater Treatment.

Microalgae are recognized as a sustainable resource to produce biofertilizers, biofuels, and pigments, with the added benefits of environmental sustainability, such as carbon sequestration and pollutant removal. However, traditional cultivation methods face challenges like low biomass productivity and high operational costs. This review focuses on the innovative use of hydrogels as a medium for microalgae cultivation, which addresses these challenges by enhancing nutrient permeability, light distribution, and overall growth efficiency.

An independent Scientific Committee on Plastic Pollution (SCOPP).

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution seeks to address, among other issues, the science-policy interface of plastic pollution in the forthcoming international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (ILBI) to be finalised in 2024 by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). Given the importance of protecting the marine environment from plastic pollution, this paper reviews ILBI and argues that the UNEA should by Resolution establish an independent scientific committee. The committee should have an overarching global, regional, and local presence with institutional openness and accessibility to elucidate the science behind plastic pollution.