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South Africa has been rated as having the most severe HIV epidemic in the world since it has one of the largest populations of people living with HIV (PLHIV). KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is the epicentre of the HIV epidemic. The HIV test and treat services in the public health sector are critical to managing the epidemic and responding to the increase in HIV infections. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health (DOH) commissioned a review of the provision of HIV testing services in the province and aimed to investigate its impact on the HIV positivity rate over a ten-year period. The study was an ecological study design using data extracted from the Department's District Health Information System (DHIS). Descriptive analysis was conducted in addition to ANOVA and multiple regression analysis. The results of this study have shown that the total number of HIV tests conducted over the ten-year period in the province has increased with the highest number of HIV tests being conducted in the 2018/2019 MTEF year. ANOVA analysis indicates that there was a statistically significant difference in the total number of HIV tests conducted and the number of HIV tests per 100 000 population across the province's 11 districts ( p  < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed in the HIV testing rate and in the HIV positivity rate over the period ( p  < 0.001). Results from multiple regression analysis showed that the HIV testing rate per 100 000 population was the strongest predictor of the HIV positivity rate. HIV positivity among clients correlated negatively with the number of HIV tests conducted per 100 000 population (r = -0.823; p  < 0.001) and the HIV testing rate (r = -0.324; p  < 0.01). This study has found that HIV testing could have an impact on reducing the positivity rate of HIV in the province and is therefore an effective strategy in curbing the HIV epidemic. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health should ensure that strategies for implementing and maintaining HIV testing and treating services should continue at an accelerated rate in order to achieve the first 95 of the UNAIDS 2025 SDG target.

Nanotechnology is an exciting area with great potential for use in biotechnology due to the far-reaching effects of nanoscale materials and their size-dependent characteristics. Silver and other metal nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention lately because of the exceptional optical, electrical, and antimicrobial characteristics they possess. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) stand out due to their cost-effectiveness and abundant presence in the earth's crust, making them a compelling subject for further exploration. The vital efficacy of silver nanoparticles in addressing environmental concerns is emphasized in this thorough overview that dives into their significance in environmental remediation. Leveraging the distinctive properties of AgNPs, such as their antibacterial and catalytic characteristics, innovative solutions for efficient treatment of pollutants are being developed. The review critically examines the transformative potential of silver nanoparticles, exploring their various applications and promising achievements in enhancing environmental remediation techniques. As environmental defenders, this study advocates for intensified investigation and application of silver nanoparticles. Furthermore, this review aims to assist future investigators in developing more cost-effective and efficient innovations involving AgNPs carrying nanoprobes. These nanoprobes have the potential to detect numerous groups of contaminants simultaneously, with a low limit of detection (LOD) and reliable reproducibility. The goal is to utilize these innovations for environmental remediation purposes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Krishna et al.)

Phosphorus in wastewater poses a significant environmental threat, leading to water pollution and eutrophication. However, it plays a crucial role in the water-energy-resource recovery-environment (WERE) nexus. Recovering Phosphorus from wastewater can close the phosphorus loop, supporting circular economy principles by reusing it as fertilizer or in industrial applications. Despite the recognized importance of phosphorus recovery, there is a lack of analysis of the cyber-physical framework concerning the WERE nexus. Advanced methods like automatic control, optimal process technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and life cycle assessment (LCA) have emerged to enhance wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) operations focusing on improving effluent quality, energy efficiency, resource recovery, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Providing insights into implementing modeling and simulation platforms, control, and optimization systems for Phosphorus recovery in WERE (P-WERE) in WWTPs is extremely important in WWTPs. This review highlights the valuable applications of AI algorithms, such as machine learning, deep learning, and explainable AI, for predicting phosphorus (P) dynamics in WWTPs. It emphasizes the importance of using AI to analyze microbial communities and optimize WWTPs for different various objectives. Additionally, it discusses the benefits of integrating mechanistic and data-driven models into plant-wide frameworks, which can enhance GHG simulation and enable simultaneous nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) removal. The review underscores the significance of prioritizing recovery actions to redirect Phosphorus from effluent to reusable products for future considerations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Thin-film nano-architecting is a promising approach that controls the properties of nanoscale surfaces to increase their interdisciplinary applications in a variety of fields. In this context, zinc oxide (ZnO)-based various nano-architectures (0-3D) such as quantum dots, nanorods/nanotubes, nanothin films, tetrapods, nanoflowers, hollow structures, etc. have been extensively researched by the scientific community in the past decade. Owing to its unique surface charge transport properties, optoelectronic properties and reported biomedical applications, ZnO has been considered as one of the most important futuristic bio-nanomaterials. This review is focused on the design/synthesis and engineering of 0-3D nano-architecture ZnO-based thin films and coatings with tunable characteristics for multifunctional biomedical applications. Although ZnO has been extensively researched, ZnO thin films composed of 0-3D nanoarchitectures with promising thin film device bio-nanotechnology applications have rarely been reviewed. The current review focuses on important details about the technologies used to make ZnO-based thin films, as well as the customization of properties related to bioactivities, characterization, and device fabrication for modern biomedical uses that are relevant. It features biosensing, tissue engineering/wound healing, antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer activity, as well as biomedical diagnosis and therapy with an emphasis on a better understanding of the mechanisms of action. Eventually, key issues, experimental parameters and factors, open challenges, etc. in thin film device fabrications and applications, and future prospects will be discussed, followed by a summary and conclusion.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were biosynthesized by using the pericarp aqueous extract from Terminalia catappa Linn. These NPs were characterized using various analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and XRD studies of the nanoparticles reported mean size as 12.58 nm nanocrystals with highest purity. Further SEM analysis emphasized the nanoparticles to be spherical in shape. The functional groups responsible for capping and stabilizing the NPs were identified with FTIR studies. DLS studies of the synthesized NPs reported ζ potential as -10.1 mV and exhibited stable colloidal solution. These characterized ZnO-NPs were evaluated for various biological applications such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, genotoxic, biocompatibility, and larvicidal studies. To explore its multidimensional application in the field of medicine. NPs reported a potential antimicrobial activity at a concentration of 200 μg/mL against bacterial strains in the decreasing order of Streptococcus pyogenes > Streptococcus aureus > Streptococcus typhi > Streptococcus aeruginosa and against the fungi Candida albicans . In vitro studies of RBC hemolysis with varying concentrations of NPs confirm their biocompatibility with IC 50 value of 211.4 μg/mL. The synthesized NPs' DPPH free radical scavenging activity was examined to extend their antioxidant applications. The antiproliferation and genetic toxicity were studied with meristematic cells of Allium cepa reported with mitotic index (MI index) of 1.2% at the concentration of 1000 μg/mL. NPs exhibited excellent Larvicidal activity against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae with the highest mortality rate as 98% at 4 mg/L. Our findings elicit the therapeutic potentials of the synthesized zinc oxide NPs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Hydrogels have gained significant attention in scientific communities for their versatile applications, but several challenges need to be addressed to exploit their potential fully. Conventional hydrogels suffer from poor mechanical strength, limiting their use in many applications. Moreover, the crosslinking agents used to produce them are often toxic, carcinogenic, and not bio-friendly. This study presents a novel approach to overcome these limitations by using bio-friendly modified nanocrystalline cellulose as a crosslinker to prepare highly stretchable and tough thermosensitive hydrogels. The surface of nanocrystalline cellulose was modified with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) to obtain modified nanocrystalline cellulose (M-NCC) crosslinker and used during free radical polymerization of thermosensitive N -isopropyl acrylamide (NIPA) monomer to synthesize NIPA/M-NCC hydrogel. The resulting nanocomposite hydrogels exhibit superior mechanical, thermal, and temperature-responsive swelling properties compared to conventional hydrogels prepared with traditional bi-functional N , N '-methylene bis (acrylamide) (MBA) as a crosslinker. The elongation at break, tensile strength, and toughness of the NIPA/M-NCC hydrogels significantly increase and Young's modulus decrease than conventional hydrogel. The designed M-NCC crosslinker could be utilized to improve the mechanical strength of any polymeric elastomer or hydrogel systems produced through chain polymerization., (© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Background and Purpose: Metal nanoparticles are essential due to their unique catalytic, electrical, magnetic, and optical characteristics, as well as their prospective use in sensing, catalysis, and biological research. In recent years, researchers have focused on developing cost-effective and eco-friendly biogenic practices using the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles (AgNP)., Experimental Approach: In the present study, the aqueous extracts prepared from the leaf, stem, bark, and flower of Neolamarkia cadamba were used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and EDAX., Key Results: The current study showed absorption of synthesized AgNPs at 425, 423, 410, and 400 nm. Dynamic light scattering of AgNPs Showed size distribution of AgNPs synthesized from leaf, stem, and flower aqueous extracts ranges from 80-200 nm and AgNPs prepared from bark extract ranges from 100-700 nm. Zeta-potential of the biosynthesized AgNPs was found as a sharp peak at -23.1 mV for the leaf, -27.0 mV for the stem, -34.1 mV for the bark, and -20.2 mV for the flower. Silver nanoparticles and crude extracts of Neolamarkia cadamba showed effective antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities., Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles have substantial antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and also exhibit the utmost antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger . The study concludes that the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from N. cadamba leaf, stem, bark, and flower extract is a reliable and eco-friendly technique., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by the authors.)

The use of biological systems such as plants, bacteria, and fungi for the synthesis of nanomaterials has emerged to fill the gap in the development of sustainable methods that are non-toxic, pollution-free, environmentally friendly, and economical for synthesizing nanomaterials with potential in biomedicine, biotechnology, environmental science, and engineering. Current research focuses on understanding the characteristics of biogenic nanoparticles as these will form the basis for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles with multiple functions due to the physicochemical properties they possess. This review briefly describes the intrinsic enzymatic mimetic activity of biogenic metallic nanoparticles, the cytotoxic effects of nanoparticles due to their physicochemical properties and the use of capping agents, molecules acting as reducing and stability agents and which aid to alleviate toxicity. The review also summarizes recent green synthetic strategies for metallic nanoparticles., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Ngcongco, Krishna and Pillay.)

Garlic ( Allium sativum ), a popular food spice and flavoring agent, has also been used traditionally to treat various ailments especially bacterial infections for centuries in various cultures around the world. The principal phytochemicals that exhibit antibacterial activity are oil-soluble organosulfur compounds that include allicin, ajoenes, and allyl sulfides. The organosulfur compounds of garlic exhibit a range of antibacterial properties such as bactericidal, antibiofilm, antitoxin, and anti-quorum sensing activity against a wide range of bacteria including multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains. The reactive organosulfur compounds form disulfide bonds with free sulfhydryl groups of enzymes and compromise the integrity of the bacterial membrane. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the development of antibiotic resistance as a global health concern and emphasizes antibiotic stewardship along with the urgent need to develop novel antibiotics. Multiple antibacterial effects of organosulfur compounds provide an excellent framework to develop them into novel antibiotics. The review provides a focused and comprehensive portrait of the status of garlic and its compounds as antibacterial agents. In addition, the emerging role of new technologies to harness the potential of garlic as a novel antibacterial agent is discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Bhatwalkar, Mondal, Krishna, Adam, Govender and Anupam.)

A variety of predictors are available for ovarian stimulation cycles in assisted reproductive technology (ART) forecasting ovarian response and reproductive outcome in women including biomarkers such as anti- Müllerian hormone (AMH). The aim of our present study was to compare the relationship between AMH levels and pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Overall, fifty patients ( n  = 50), aged 20-45 years were recruited for the present prospective study. Three AMH levels were presented with high often poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) amongst 52.4% patients, 40.5% in normal and 7.1% in low to normal, correspondingly. There was statistically significant relationship between AMH and day of embryo transfer ( p  < 0.05). The Pearson analysis between AMH, age, E2 and FSH displayed no statistically significant relationship between E2 and AMH ( p  < 0.05) and negative correlation between FSH and age ( p  > 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for E 2 was 0.725 and for AMH levels as predictors of CPR was 0.497 indicating E 2 as better predictor than AMH. The number of oocytes, mature oocytes and fertilized oocytes all presented a weak positive relationship to AMH. Our results confirm the clinical significance of AMH to accurately predict ovarian reserve as a marker and its limitations to use as predictor for a positive pregnancy outcome. Additional prospective studies should be conducted to validate the predictive capability of AMH levels for the outcome of clinical pregnancy., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2020 Umarsingh et al.)

The role of silver nanoparticles (AgNps) is an attractive proposition for advancing modern diabetes therapies and applied science. Stable AgNps with a size range of 3-25 nm were synthesized using aqueous leaf extracts from Ocimum basilicum , Ocimum sanctum , and in combination. The concentration of the extracts facilitated the reduction of silver nitrate that led to the rapid formation of AgNps at room temperature, indicating a higher reaction rate as opposed to harsh chemical methods, and high conversion energy usually involved in the synthesis. The size, shape and elemental analysis were carried out using UV-Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential whilst, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) supported by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used to identify the type of capping agents. Inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes retards the rate of carbohydrate digestion, thereby provides an alternative and a less evasive strategy of reducing postprandial hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients. The AgNps derived from O. sanctum and O. basilicum , respectively displayed an inhibitory effect at 89.31 ± 5.32%, and 79.74 ± 9.51%, respectively, against Bacillus stearothermophilus α-glucosidase enzyme model, indicating an enhanced biocatalytic potential compared to their respective crude extracts and the control. Furthermore, the emerging rate of infections in diabetic patients validates the need for the discovery of dual diabetes therapies. As a result, the bioderived AgNps displayed antimicrobial activity against bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Bacillus subtilis , and Salmonella species.

Vaginal lubricants are used to solve intercourse difficulties or as sexual enhancers, but recent reports raise questions about their safety in terms of fertility. In this study, twenty semen samples were tested against commercially available vaginal lubricants for progressive spermatozoa motility and vitality with varying exposure time intervals. Results showed that the vaginal lubricant which least affected progressive spermatozoa motility was the oil-based vaginal lubricant, which kept the mean percentage of progressive spermatozoa motility within the minimum normal range of 32%, following 60 minutes of exposure. The silicone-based vaginal lubricant produced similar results to the oil-based vaginal lubricant, however the progressive spermatozoa motility dropped below the minimum normal range within 60 minutes of exposure. The fertility lubricant did not produce mean progressive motilities that were within the normal minimum range at any of the three time intervals, producing poor results overall. The vaginal lubricant which produced the poorest results was the water-based, which immobilized all of the spermatozoa within 5 minutes of exposure and killed on average 95.23% within 60 minutes. Although further assessment is required, these results highlight potential fertility issues related to the formulation of commercially available vaginal lubricants.

The present study investigated the use of waste non-edible oil cakes (Jatropha, Karanja, Neem, and Mahua) as a substrate for the growth of Paecilomyces variotii and dipicolinic acid (DPA) production. Previous researches proved the efficacy of DPA in suppressing certain pathogens that are deleterious to the plants in the rhizosphere. DPA production was statistical optimized by amending non-edible oil cakes in growing media as nitrogen and sugars (Dextrose, Glucose, and Lactose) as carbon source. Plackett-Burman design (PBD), indicated that Jatropha cake, Karanja cake, and Dextrose were the most significant components ( p < 0.05) of the media and were further optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Jatropha cake, Karanja cake, and Dextrose at the concentration of 12.5, 4.5, and 10 g/l, respectively, yielded 250 mg/l of DPA, which was 2.5 fold more than that obtained from basal medium. HPLC analysis of the optimized medium (peak at retention time of 30 min) confirmed the enhanced DPA production by P. variotii . The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that optimized medium impose a stress like condition (due to less C:N ratio) for the fungus and generated more spores as compared to the basal medium in which carbon source is easily available for the mycelial growth. The antimicrobial activity of the fungal extract was tested and found to be effective even at 10 -2 dilution after 72 h against two plant pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahlia . Statistical experimental design of this study and the use of non-edible oil cakes as a substrate offer an efficient and viable approach for DPA production by P. variotii .