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Platycarpha glomerata (Thunb.) Less. has recently become a plant species of interest to researchers due to its biological activities and less toxic effects. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the in vitro anticancer potential and phytochemical constituents of P. glomerata plant extracts. Phytochemical screening and FTIR were carried out using standard methods. The antioxidant activity was accessed by determining its ability to scavenge the DPPH radical and nitric oxide radical, whereas the anticancer activity against prostate (DU-145 and PC-3), human T-lymphocyte (SKU-T), gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS), and human prostatic epithelial (PNTA1) cell line was evaluated using the MTT assay. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides. The FTIR spectrum for the aqueous extract displayed characteristic peaks for O-H, C=O, C=C, and =C-H stretch. The aqueous ethanol and methanol extracts showed significant dose-dependent DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The aqueous, ethanol, and methanol extracts showed minimum NO scavenging activity of 4.3%, 9.6%, and 11.7% at 2500 µg/mL. The water extract demonstrated good activity against S. aureus , E. coli , and B. pumilus with an MIC of 0.195 mg/mL. The ethanol and methanol extracts significantly reduced the percentage proliferation of DU-145, PC-3, and SKU-T cells at 100 μg/mL. These extracts demonstrated strong dose-dependent DPPH and NO scavenging and antibacterial and cell proliferation inhibition activities. The strong bioactivity of P. glomerata makes it a good candidate for the isolation and identification of active compounds for anticancer and related illnesses.

Essential oils (EOs) are gaining ground and have been intensively studied due to their widespread use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries. The essential components of EOs have been recognized for diverse therapeutic activities and have gained significant attention for their potential antibacterial activities. Despite the popularity of EOs and potent biological properties, their bioactive components and their derivatives are still not comprehensively characterized. This review explores the antibacterial efficacy of selected EO components and their derivatives, focusing on monoterpenes chosen (i.e., carvacrol, menthol, and thymol) and phenylpropanoids (i.e., cinnamaldehyde and eugenol). Furthermore, this review highlights recent advancements in developing derivatives of these EO components, which have shown improved antibacterial activity with reduced toxicity. By summarizing recent studies, this review reveals the potential of these natural compounds and their derivatives as promising candidates for pharmaceuticals, food preservation, and as alternatives to synthetic antibiotics in combating bacterial resistance.

Recently, the recovery of metals extracted from the spent membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) of fuel cells has attracted significant scientific attention due to its detrimental environmental impacts. Two major approaches, i.e., pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical, have been explored to recover platinum group metals (PMGs) from used proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, the efficacy of these methods has been limited by the low concentrations of the metals and the high costs involved. Essentially, pyrometallurgical processes result in the evolution of harmful gases. Thus, the hydrometallurgical process is preferred as a suitable alternative. In this review, an overview of the application of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods in the recovery of PGMs is presented. The health risks, benefits, and limitations of these processes are highlighted. Finally, the hurdles faced by, opportunities for, and future directions of these approaches are identified. It is envisaged that this review will shed light on the current status of processes for the recovery of spent PGMs and propel their advancement for effective recycling strategies.

This study evaluated and minimized bias in estuarine total dissolved solids (TDS) patterns predicted using geostatistical approaches. The acquired TDS data was divided into three parts: 29 points (60 %) for predicting TDS patterns with spatial interpolation techniques, 12 points (25 %) for validation and bias correction, and 7 points (37 %) for testing the corrected bias. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW), Ordinary Kriging (OK), Universal Kriging (UK) and Regression Kriging (RK) were applied to map TDS patterns. R-square and Relative Error of Mean showed significant discrepancies between observed and predicted TDS levels. The Mean field bias (MFB) correction technique was applied to minimize bias in TDS patterns. After correcting bias, the TDS values predicted by IDW, OK, UK and RK at random locations deviated from measured values by -2.85 %, 0.71 %, 4.66 %, and - 6.03 % respectively. At the test locations, these values deviated by -1.45 %, 1.41 %, 2.11 %, and - 2.65 % respectively., 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 Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Designing hybrid-based drugs is one promising strategy for developing effective anticancer drugs that explore combination therapy to enhance treatment efficacy, overcome the development of drug resistance, and lower treatment duration. Bisphosphonates and Vitamin D are commonly administered drugs for the treatment of bone diseases and the prevention of bone metastases. Platinum-based and methotrexate are widely used anticancer drugs in clinics. However, their use is hampered by adverse side effects. Hybrid-based compounds containing either bisphosphonate, vitamin D, platinum-based, or methotrexate were synthesized and characterized using FTIR, 1 H-, 31 P, 13 C-NMR, and UHPLC-HRMS which confirmed their successful synthesis. The hydroxyapatite bone binding assay revealed a promising percentage binding affinity of the bisphosphonate hybrid compounds. In vitro cytotoxicity assays on MCF-7 and HT-29 cell lines revealed a promising cytotoxic effect of hybrid 19 at 50 and 100 μg/mL on HT-29 and hybrid 15 on MCF-7 at 100 μg/mL. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation analysis revealed a binding affinity of -9.70 kcal/mol for hybrid 15 against Human 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3, showing its capability to inhibit Human 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3. The Swiss ADME, ProTox-II, GUSAR (General Unrestricted Structure-Activity Relationships), and molecular docking and dynamics studies revealed that these compounds are promising anticancer compounds., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry & Biodiversity published by Wiley-VHCA AG.)

Designing a high-performance solar cell structure requires the understanding of material innovation, device engineering, charge behavior, operation characteristics and efficient photoconversion of light to generate electricity. This study offers a detailed numerical evaluation of the device physics in a highly efficient methylammonium-based perovskite solar cell (PSC) of the configuration, FTO/WO 3 /CH₃NH₃SnI₃/GO/Fe. Utilizing the SCAPS-1D device simulator, an impressive open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of 1.3184 V, short-circuit current density (J sc ) of 35.10 mA/cm 2 , Fill factor (FF) of 78.38 %, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 36.24 % were achieved. The model cell exhibits a robust photon capture of 100 % quantum efficiency between 360 and 750 nm. The study also presents a temperature-dependent band alignment diagram which posted a built-in potential (V bi ) of 0.62 eV. The V bi at 400 K was found to be 0.58 eV indicating that the model cell exhibits a decent temperature tolerance, and can retain approximately 93 % of its power at 400 K. Through Mott-Schottky capacitance analysis, deeper insights into the space-charge region are inferred, while recombination-generation investigations emphasize the significance of electronic properties in optimizing device performance. This paper, therefore, lays the foundation for future studies, offering clear pathways for device optimization and identifying key areas that require further investigation., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Energy generation and storage are critical challenges for developing economies due to rising populations and limited access to clean energy resources. Fossil fuels, commonly used for energy production, are costly and contribute to environmental pollution through greenhouse gas emissions. Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) offer a promising alternative due to their stability, low cost, and high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to other third-generation solar cells. Kesterite materials, known for their excellent optoelectronic properties and chemical stability, have gained attention for their potential as hole transport layer (HTL) materials in solar cells. In this study, the SCAPS-1D numerical simulator was used to analyze a solar cell with the configuration FTO/TiO 2 /MoS 2 /HTL/Ag. The electron transport layer (ETL) used was titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), while Cu 2 FeSnS 4 (CFTS), Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTSe), Cu 2 NiSnS 4 (CNTS), and Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSSe) kesterite materials were evaluated as HTLs. MoS 2 quantum dot served as the absorber, with FTO as the anode and silver as the back metal contact. The CFTS material outperformed the others, yielding a PCE of 25.86%, a fill factor (FF) of 38.79%, a short-circuit current density (J SC ) of 34.52 mA cm -2 , and an open-circuit voltage (V OC ) of 1.93 V. This study contributes to the advancement of high-performance QDSSCs.

This study assessed PBDE congeners in surface water and sediment from the Buffalo River estuary, East London, South Africa. Samples were collected across three seasons in 2020 and analyzed using GC-MS and GC-μECD to respectively identify and quantify analytes. The concentration of ∑ 6 PBDEs in the surface water and sediment ranged from n.d. to 0.947 μg/L and from 1.87 to 2554 ng/g (dw), respectively. We found the relative abundance of the congeners in water and sediment to be in this order: BDE-66 (36 %) > BDE-100 (25 %) > BDE-17 (21 %) > BDE-183 (9 %) > BDE-153 (6 %) > BDE-47 (3 %) and BDE-66 (26 %) > BDE-100 (23 %) > BDE-17 (18 %) > BDE-47 (15 %) > BDE-153 (10 %) > BDE-183 (9 %) respectively. The ecological risk assessment reveals that the risk quotient, RQs, of BDE-100 (85.1), BDE-47 (2.1) and BDE-183 (1.1) for surface water and BDE-47 (229606), BDE-153 (1192) and BDE-100 (141) for surface sediment were all significantly higher than one, indicating high ecological hazards for both water and sediment-dwelling organisms. The point sources of PBDE pollution were the First and the Second Creek, which regularly carry residential and industrial effluents into the estuary. Sediment under the Pontoon Bridge is the most polluted due to non-point sources. Regular dredging of the estuary is highly recommended to reduce the levels of PBDEs in the sediment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this article's content., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Wastewater Based Surveillance (WBS) has emerged as a novel monitoring tool for tracking and estimating the dissemination of the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) within communities., Objective: The goal of this review is to assess the factors that influence estimations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration estimations in wastewater., Methods: A literature search was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) criteria in the electronic databases Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Medline. The overall quality, sample methodologies, quantification methods, and estimating approaches of selected papers were assessed., Results: Our findings reveal that 16 out of 24 articles (67 %) focused on physiochemical analyses. This review showed that sampling strategies and laboratory methodologies play a crucial role in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples. Moreover, we found that WBS-based estimation of COVID-19 is influenced by several factors such as wastewater temperature, shedding rate, and population size., Conclusion: This review reveals that the identified parameters require adjustments to achieve optimum conditions that accurately predict community infections. Including these factors that influence the estimation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration in wastewater is essential for developing effective public health strategies to combat the spread of COVID-19., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The Ashanti region in Ghana, abundant in natural resources such as forests and vegetation biomes, significantly supports the livelihoods of a significant portion of the population. The sustainable management of forest resources remains a significant challenge to achieving environmental and economic growth and poverty alleviation. The study aims to identify the drivers of deforestation and assess its impact on the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable communities in the Ashanti region. The study utilized qualitative and space-based data to examine the patterns of vegetation cover and deforestation from 2000 to 2020. The results revealed moderate to sparse vegetation in Ashanti from 2002, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2018, with no vegetation in the northcentral part, attributed to climate change, agricultural practices, government policies, and deforestation-related disasters. The study found a significant correlation (R² = 0.8197) between years and deforestation areas, especially in 2018 at around 16,000 Sqkm, indicating an exponential increase with severe implications for sustainable livelihoods. Much of these changes were reflected in 2020 with a high peak of deforestation towards the southeastern parts of the region. Additionally, the results show that the poor groups are not passive actors but are actively involved in identifying systems and processes through which to build their adaptive capacity and resilience to environmental and climate change-induced changes. The findings provide evidence-based and all-inclusive approaches that would encourage vulnerable and marginalized groups to participate in the co-production and co-creation of policies and strategies. This outcome is geared towards transformative and sustainable communities while ensuring efficient and effective response and recovery capacities of deforested lands., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Animal activity patterns vary seasonally and between species, facilitating species coexistence. In Africa, however, factors affecting the activity of many small carnivores remain poorly understood, especially for congeneric and sympatric species whose similar sizes may lead to interspecific competition. Here, we investigated differences and variations in the activity patterns of two sympatric Viverridae species in a seasonal African landscape. We continuously radio-tracked 15 small-spotted genets (Genetta genetta) and five Cape genets (G. tigrina) over 24-h cycles throughout the year. We analysed the effects of season, sex, and interspecific interactions on circadian rhythms using multi-cosinor regression models. Both species maintained a nocturnal activity pattern year-round, decreasing activity significantly during the cold-dry season. This pattern aligns with the thermoregulatory hypothesis-especially for species with an elongated body like genets-suggesting decreased activity under extreme cold weather conditions to conserve energy. Females in both species were less active than males, possibly due to their smaller home ranges, especially during the cold-dry season. These effects were particularly pronounced in Cape genets, which primarily inhabit riverine forests. Female Cape genets adjusted their activity onset, possibly to minimize encounters with males, mostly during the hot-wet season when caring for their offspring. Small-spotted genets shifted their activity onset and peak in riverine forests-areas of potential contact with Cape genets-compared to areas without Cape genets. Overall, our study underscores the critical role of seasonal environmental changes and interspecific interactions in shaping the activity patterns of two carnivore species within a semi-arid Albany Thicket landscape., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The use of environmentally friendly materials for industrial applications has increased tremendously in the past decades due to environmental concerns associated with using synthetic materials. The present comparative investigation studied the properties of raw and chemically-treated coconut shell biomass for possible polymeric composite applications. The coconut shell biomass was treated with alkali (NaOH), bleaching and combined NaOH-bleaching solutions and investigated the surface morphology, chemical transformations, and thermal stability. Untreated and chemically modified coconut shell biomass was characterized through the determination of chemical constituents, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric (TGA), and morphological analyses. Chemically treated coconut shell biomass reported a significant increase in cellulose constituents, reaching 74.72% for combined NaOH-bleach treated samples with accompanying reductions in lignin and hemicellulose, as confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Further, the study reported an increase in crystallinity index with chemical treatment. For instance, combined NaOH-bleach treatment reported a maximum crystallinity index of 80.29% compared to 44.82% for untreated biomass. Alkali treatment improved thermal stability as indicated by an increase in the onset temperature of degradation to 255°C from 250°C for raw samples. Post-treatment, improved surface purity and roughness were observed, indicating enhanced fibre/matrix interlocking during composite fabrication. Moreover, combined NaOH-bleaching treatment exhibited enhanced surface hydrophobicity, as indicated by a maximum C/O ratio of 0.93 compared to 0.64 for untreated samples. In conclusion, combined NaOH-bleaching treatment significantly improved the chemical, structural and morphological properties of coconut shell biomass, suggesting its potential for developing low-cost, lightweight, renewable, and sustainable composite materials., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Global physical fitness (PF) levels have declined over the past 50 years, contributing to early health risks in children although it is still unclear how age, gender and socioeconomic status (SES) impact PF risk. This study aimed to identify unique health risks related to age, SES and gender that might influence muscular fitness (MF) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of primary school children in South Africa. Children ( N = 349, boys = 165; girls = 184) of low ( n = 201) and high SES ( n = 148) underwent three time point measurements at 6, 9 and 12 years spanning seven primary school years. MF was assessed with the strength sub-test of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) and CRF with a 20 m shuttle run. Relationships between biographical data, anthropometric data and PF were analysed using mixed linear regression models. After controlling for covariates, findings from unadjusted interaction models were used, revealing significant ( p < 0.05) two-way age and SES interactions in standing long jump (SLJ), push-ups, wall-sit, sit-ups and VO 2 max and age and gender interactions ( p < 0.001) in sit-ups, push-ups and VO 2 max. Universal cut-points are considered valid monitoring guidelines of PF risk in South African school children. For comparison, standardised global protocols for sit-ups and push-ups should be prioritised and intervention strategies should focus on improving PF in girls, older children from the age of 9 and children from low SES backgrounds.

Background: Frequent use of colistin (COL) and tetracyclines in the Nigerian poultry sector potentially triggers bacterial resistance against COL and tigecycline (TIG), which are last-line antibiotics used to treat multidrug-resistant infections. Aim/Objectives: This study aimed to isolate COL- and TIG-resistant E . coli from commercial day-old chicks distributed to poultry farmers in Nsukka Southeastern Nigeria, assess the production of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase by the isolates, and establish their pathogenic potentials. Materials and Methods: Non-duplicate cloacal swabs were systematically collected from 250 randomly selected day-old chicks. MacConkey agar with 1 µg/mL of COL and 16 µg/mL of tetracycline was used for the isolation of putative COL- and tetracycline-resistant E . coli , respectively. E . coli isolates were confirmed biochemically using the API20E Gram-negative identification kit and molecularly by polymerase chain reaction targeting the uidA gene. Phenotypic COL resistance was established using COL agar and COL disc elution tests, while TIG insusceptibility was determined with disc diffusion. ESBL and carbapenemase production was assessed by double-disc synergy and modified carbapenem inactivation methods, respectively. Pathogenic potentials were determined using phenotypic methods. Results: COL- and TIG-resistant E . coli was recovered from 95 (38.0%) and 62 (24.8%) swabs from the 250 chicks, respectively. None of the isolates were potential ESBL or carbapenemase producers. The COL-resistant isolates displayed pathogenic potentials such as biofilm formation, haemagglutination, cell surface hydrophobicity, surface layer, and gelatinase activities at rates of 30.7%, 8.4%, 33.7%, 23.5%, and 17.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, the TIG-resistant isolates exhibited their respective potentials at rates of 47.0%, 21.0%, 35.5%, 58.1%, and 43.6%. Red, dry, and rough (RDAR) was the predominant curli fimbriae, and the cellulose morphotype portrayed by both the COL- and TIG-unsusceptible potential biofilm-producing isolates. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a significant percentage of commercial day-old chicks distributed to farmers in Nsukka, southeastern Nigeria, are colonized by potentially pathogenic COL- and TIG-resistant E . coli , which could spread to humans and the environment.

Background: Over 8 million children with disabilities live in Africa and are candidates for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), yet formal training for team members, such as speech-language therapists and special education teachers, is extremely limited. Only one university on the continent provides postgraduate degrees in AAC, and other institutions provide only short modules at an undergraduate level. The need for an introductory training course on AAC that is accessible by university students continent-wide was identified. An online programme, namely an intelligent tutoring system (ITS), was identified as a possible option to facilitate interactive learning without the need for synchronous teaching. The use of an ITS is shown to be effective in developing knowledge and clinical reasoning in the health and rehabilitation fields. However, it has not yet been applied to student teaching in the field of AAC., Aim: To determine both the feasibility of an ITS to implement an AAC curriculum for students in four African countries, and the usability and effectiveness of such a system as a mechanism for learning about AAC., Method & Procedures: The study included two components: the development of a valid AAC curriculum; and using the ITS to test the effectiveness of implementation in a pre- and post-test design with 98 speech-language therapy and special education students from five universities., Outcomes & Results: Statistically significant differences were obtained between pre- and post-test assessments. Students perceived the learning experience as practical, with rich content., Conclusions & Implications: The findings suggest that the ITS-based AAC curriculum was positively perceived by the students and potentially offers an effective means of providing supplementary AAC training to students, although modifications to the system are still required., What This Paper Adds: What is already known on the subject Professionals typically lack formal training in AAC. In Africa, this presents a serious challenge as there are over 8 million children who are candidates for AAC. A need for an introductory training course on AAC, which can be accessed by university students continent-wide, was identified. What this paper adds to existing knowledge An AAC curriculum was developed and integrated into an ITS, an online programme allowing interactive learning through asynchronous teaching. Students from four African countries completed the AAC ITS curriculum. The curriculum was positively received by the students and statistically significant changes in knowledge were identified. What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? This feasibility study shows that the use of an ITS is an effective means of providing AAC training to university students in these African countries. The results provide a valuable contribution toward ensuring the equitable distribution of AAC training opportunities in the African context. This will have a significant positive impact on those who are candidates for AAC., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.)

Until recently, research examining the application of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) in sports settings was virtually absent in South Africa. Despite the growing evidence of REBT's potential as a psychological intervention in Western nations, its use within the multicultural and sports-fervent context of South Africa remains unexplored. Moreover, limited research has addressed the impact of REBT on rugby players, with only a few case studies being reported. The current experiment employs a cluster randomized trial (CRT) to compare the effects of a 7-week preferential REBT program with a 7-week Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) program on irrational beliefs, competitive anxiety and subjective performance, among adolescent South African rugby players. We also include a wait-list control group who received neither REBT nor MAC. Results indicate that athletes receiving REBT reported greater improvements in irrational beliefs, anxiety, and subjective performance, while that athletes receiving MAC also reported some improvements in anxiety. This study highlights the potential of REBT as a valuable psychological intervention in the context of South African adolescent rugby players., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest “A cluster randomized trial of a v-emotive behavior therapy program and a mindfulness-acceptance-commitment program, with South African adolescent rugby players," The aforementioned authors affirm that we tried to adhere to the highest ethical standards and scientific integrity when conducting and writing about this research. We affirm that the results presented in this manuscript are based solely on the data collected and analyzed during the course of the study, and they are reported with objectivity and impartiality., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Obesity is an epidemic non-communicable disease in South Africa (SA). Few data exist on rural schoolchildren. This study presented the association between paediatric obesity, anthropometric parameters and physiological traits in schoolchildren in the Alice Location of Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, South Africa., Methods: The sum of 305 schoolchildren including girls 146; boys 159 between 5 - 7 years old were enrolled. Body mass index (BMI) specific for gender and age was used to describe overweight and obesity. Systolic/Diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) was ≥ 90 th percentile for gender and age. An aneroid sphygmomanometer was used to measure blood pressure (BP)., Results: 15.75% of girls were overweight compared to 10.69% of boys while 16.35% of boys were obese compared to 10.27% of girls. Pre-hypertension was detected in both girls (2.0%) and boys (0.3%). SBP and DBP were significantly ( P <0.05) associated with body mass, stature, BMI, hip and waist circumference (HC & WC), the sum of skinfolds, fat-mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and fat-free mass index (FFMI)., Conclusion: Overweight, obesity and pre-hypertension are predominant amongst rural SA schoolchildren living in Alice location. Routine check-up and control of excessive weight gain in schoolchildren is crucial for early prevention of potential cardiovascular diseases in the future., (Copyright© 2024 Idamokoro et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background:  Community-based universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has not been fully realised in South Africa despite the availability of contextually relevant early hearing detection and intervention guidelines. Research has confirmed the feasibility of implementing UNHS programmes in urban contexts; however, limited information exists for rural contexts., Objectives:  The aim of the study was to describe the outcomes in terms of coverage rate, referral rate and follow-up rate of a 1-year UNHS pilot programme implemented at three primary health care (PHC) clinics in the Limpopo province., Method:  A descriptive retrospective review of 2 302 audiological records of infants who underwent NHS between July 2014 to June 2015 was conducted., Results:  The mean age at first-stage screen was 112 days (16 weeks). The coverage rate was 87% for the infants screened at 3- and 10- days clinic visits and 27% for infants screened at the 6-week immunisation visit. The first-stage referral rate was 33.9% and 8.3% for the overall second stage referral for diagnostic audiology services. The follow-up rate for rescreens at the clinical level was 77%, while for initial diagnostic assessments, it was 26%., Conclusion:  Although not all benchmarks were met within the first year of implementation, the high coverage- and low referral rates, especially in the last 6 months, are the first steps in improving the outcomes of the screening programme.Contribution: The findings confirm the feasibility of implementing community-based UNHS programmes in rural areas in South Africa. Regular monitoring and evaluation contribute to the success of screening programmes.

The perceptions of farmers regarding communal feedlots and their role in reducing enteric methane emissions have received limited attention in research. This study aims to examine farmers' perceptions, assess awareness, and identify barriers to adopting feedlots as a climate-smart practice to enteric methane emissions in rural communities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. 161 structured, paper-based questionnaires were distributed among smallholder cattle farmers around three feedlot locations. Most farmers had heard about feedlots (67.7 %); however, only a few (19.9 %) participated. The lack of knowledge about feedlot operations was the main factor influencing farmers' participation in feedlots. Most farmers did not perceive feedlots as a climate-smart approach to reducing enteric methane output (53.8 %), with few sure (9.6 %) and others unsure (36.5 %). When asked about the reasons for their perceptions of feedlots as a climate-smart approach to mitigating methane, many farmers were unsure of the reasons (86.5 %), with the least believing it could be related to poor feed quality (1.9 %). The availability of financial resources and level of education were the key factors influencing farmers' willingness to adopt feedlots as a climate-smart practice. These findings emphasise the importance of targeted educational workshops and support systems to enhance farmers' awareness and promote the adoption of cattle feedlots as a climate-smart approach. The findings can also inform policy and practice to address perceived feedlot drawbacks, such as feed provision and technical assistance, and improve their successful implementation. However, further research is needed to explore farmers' perceptions of cattle feedlots as a climate-smart practice., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

In this work, a titanium dioxide and lead sulfide (TiO 2 /PbS) nano-size heterostructure with tin sulfide was fabricated and coated via a two-step direct deposition process. Its microstructure, morphology, elemental composition, optical absorption, and photochemical activity were investigated. Linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry curves substantiated its catalytic activity, indicating quantum dot effects of a well-developed space charge domain on the surface of the hybrid structure. These give rise to electron-hole recombination suppression and a high charge mobility rate. Moreover, direct stabilization was identified in current density, corresponding to the hybrid structures limiting the diffusion current process. Higher J values observed were substantiated by the role of quantum dot-size effects and enhanced crystalline structures, leading to a reduction in series resistance and an improved conversion efficiency of 10.05%. Overall, theoretical analyses and empirical findings indicated that the seamless migration of photoexcited electrons across the interfaces of SnS and PbS is linked to quantum dot effect synergy. This is facilitated by the space charge region, which serves as a conduit for efficient electron transfer between the respective materials.SC values observed were substantiated by the role of quantum dot-size effects and enhanced crystalline structures, leading to a reduction in series resistance and an improved conversion efficiency of 10.05%. Overall, theoretical analyses and empirical findings indicated that the seamless migration of photoexcited electrons across the interfaces of SnS and PbS is linked to quantum dot effect synergy. This is facilitated by the space charge region, which serves as a conduit for efficient electron transfer between the respective materials., 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., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Recovering energy from biomass and treating organic waste can be done effectively through a biogas digester system. However, monitoring the performance and control of the system to produce biogas is possible through the online process. Therefore, this study developed a novel low-cost gas and temperature profiling system (GTPS) and data acquisition system (DAS) used in biogas digester. The GTPS is designed to monitor and record the amount of methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), the main constituent of biogas, from 0 to 100% and to measure the slurry temperature in the digester using a K-type thermocouple. To test the developed monitoring system, the biogas yield (%) and temperature were monitored, and the result obtained agreed with that reported and obtained in the literature (50-70% and 30-40%) for CH 4 and CO 2 , respectively, followed by the desired mesophilic temperature condition for biogas production (20-35 °C). The study employed an RS-232/RS-485 converter for data communication and a low-cost thermocouple module (isolated analog input) that was installed in the data acquisition system. Interestingly, the application of the converter equipment has never been used in any study on monitoring a biogas digester., (© 2024. The Author(s).)