Plastic waste is a major source of microplastic (MP) pollution, posing adverse environmental and public health risks. This study assessed MP abundance in 24 urban ponds and lakes within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, India, during the post- and pre-monsoon seasons of 2022-2023. Results showed that MP concentrations were significantly higher in the post-monsoon season (20 ± 3.46 items L⁻1; ANOVA, p < 0.05), with red, white, and black particles being the most prevalent. MPs prevalently ranged between 500 and 1000µm with fibers constituting 58-59% of the total MPs. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis identified polyethylene (PE) as the dominant polymer. MP abundance showed negative correlations with dissolved oxygen and turbidity, and positive associations with pH, TDS, BOD₅, and total coliform counts. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) model was developed for morphology-based MP classification, achieving an accuracy of 89%. Additionally, remote sensing and GIS techniques were used to develop index-based models for water-body identification and MP quantification (items L⁻1) using spectral data from Sentinel-2 imagery. These models demonstrated high validation accuracy of 98.01% and 92.60%, respectively. Metal analysis of sediment and MPs of water detected chromium, suggesting possible MP-metal interactions within sediments. Although the Pollution Load Index (PLI) indicated relatively low contamination levels, the Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) exceeded 1000, indicating substantial ecological risk. Future studies should focus on long-term monitoring, socio-economic and health impact assessments and development of effective mitigation strategies particularly addressing plastic-waste derived-MPS.

Obesity affects over a quarter of the UK population and can lead to serious health issues. NHS Specialist Weight Management Services (WMS) offer treatments including lifestyle advice, psychological support and medications, but access and availability vary by region. Although around 4 million people could be eligible for NHS Specialist WMS annually, capacity is limited to 35 000, severely limiting overall access for those who need it. While digital technology has started to be used in WMS, more evidence is needed to confirm its long-term effectiveness, acceptability and cost-effectiveness. This study explores the use of Gro Health W8Buddy, a digital platform and app providing remote Specialist WMS. It aims to determine the long-term health benefits of remote WMS pathway Gro Health W8Buddy compared with standard NHS WMS delivered in hospitals, and to improve patients access to services. The study is a real-world evaluation with observational data collection. We will recruit 450 study participants from four NHS specialist WMS who will choose either standard NHS WMS or the digital pathway Gro Health W8Buddy. Participants are being given the option to choose their pathway to generate real-world evidence. We will measure and analyse health outcomes including weight loss, time taken to be treated and cost-effectiveness, at 18 months and follow up at 24 months for later analysis (outside of this core funding). We will gather experiential data from patients and healthcare professionals through surveys, observation and interviews. Ethical approval has been obtained from NHS Health Research Authority (HRA) and Health and Care Research Wales (HCRW) (Supplementary Figure 3) (REC reference: 25/EM/0147). Our findings will be disseminated through academic publications, conference presentations and stakeholder engagement. ISRCTN89168871; Pre-results.

This study assesses pesticide in crops from Togo's Plateaux region and evaluates health risks associated with farmers' exposure during pesticide application. A survey was conducted involving 350 farmers and 48 pesticide sellers. Operator exposure was assessed using the British Predictive Operator Exposure Model (U.K.-POEM) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) calculator. A multi-residue analysis of 51 pesticides was carried out after a QuECHERS extraction and purification, using a gas chromatography system on six types of agricultural products during both rainy and dry seasons. The survey established the profile of pesticides in use. The herbicide spectrum was dominated by glyphosate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, nicosulfuron, paraquat, and propanil. For insect control, applications primarily relied on λ-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and chlorpyrifos. Notably, 83% of operators reported not using personal protection equipment during mixing, loading or spraying. Modelling indicated high-risk exposure levels (Risk Quotient >1) for all pesticides, highlighting inadequate phytosanitary practices Residue analysis detected 13 pesticides. The most frequently detected were chlorpyrifos, endosulfan sulfate, acetamiprid and lambda-cyhalothrin. In the most contaminated produce, lettuce and cabbage, total pesticides concentrations ranged from 69 to 219 and 192 to 330 ng/kg respectively with higher contamination levels observed in the dry season. This study reveals the likelihood of elevated pesticide exposure in Togo, taking into account agriculture products contamination and operator exposure, raising concerns about long-term health risks such as chronic cancer and autism. Further assessment of drinking water contamination by these organic pollutants is warranted.

Introduction The college period represents a pivotal stage for establishing long-term health behaviors. Grounded in the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation—Behavior) model, this study constructs a comprehensive behavioral explanatory framework: positioning eHealth literacy as Capability, social support as Opportunity, and social responsibility as core Motivation to predict healthy lifestyles (Behavior). It further examines how this mechanism is moderated by major, mental health, and sense of hope. Methods From May to June 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 4,036 students recruited from six universities in Shandong Province, China, using stratified cluster sampling. Validated scales were administered to assess healthy lifestyle, eHealth literacy, social support, social responsibility, mental health, and sense of hope. Multiple linear regression combined with the Bootstrap method was used to explore variable mediation, and Bootstrap was further applied to test moderation effects. Results A total of 4,036 participants were included in this study, among whom 1,811 were male (44.9%) and 2,225 were female (55.1%). In terms of grade distribution, there were 2,216 lower-grade students (55.0%) and 1,820 upper-grade students (45.0%). The mean score for healthy lifestyles was 3.95 (±0.74). Social responsibility emerged as the strongest predictor ( β = 0.449, 95%CI [0.413, 0.466]) and was found to partially mediate the relationships of both eHealth literacy and social support with healthy lifestyles. Furthermore, major negatively moderated the relationship between eHealth literacy and healthy lifestyles ( β = −0.127, p &amp;lt; 0.001), while mental health status negatively moderated the relationship between social support and healthy lifestyles ( β = −0.087, p &amp;lt; 0.001). In contrast, sense of hope positively moderated the relationship between social responsibility and healthy lifestyles (β = 0.040, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Discussion Social responsibility is not only related to the healthy lifestyle of college students, but also plays a mediating role between electronic health literacy, social support, and healthy lifestyle. Therefore, colleges and universities should focus on cultivating students’ sense of social responsibility, systematically improve their health literacy, create a supportive campus environment, and enhance students’ psychological capital and sense of hope. These multi-level measures, when working together, will help to establish a sustainable mechanism for promoting a healthy lifestyle among college students.

Red blood cells (RBCs) play a crucial role in delivering oxygen to tissues with their distinctive shape. However, the mechanisms underlying cellular deformation and rupture due to stress, which lead to diseases such as acute renal failure, pulmonary hypertension, anemia, and gallstone formation, remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the mechanism of membrane protrusion and present a highly effective method to restore the morphology and function of damaged RBCs. We propose ultrasound-triggered nanodroplets loaded with oxygen and glucose to increase the local concentrations of these substances around RBCs and facilitate the rapid release of their payloads to repair fatigued RBCs under ultrasound. We identify a critical membrane protrusion length threshold of one-third the cell's diameter, beyond which the skeleton structure fractures and prevents repair. Our findings demonstrate how nanodroplets can efficiently deliver oxygen and glucose to expose membrane connection and trigger cytoskeleton reorganization to repair cellular structure. In an in vitro extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) model, our method reduces the percentage of abnormal RBCs to 5% and decreases free hemoglobin concentration by 50%. This work offers new insights into RBC rejuvenation and strongly supports the potential of ultrasound-triggered nanodroplets for revitalizing fatigued RBCs, contributing to long-term health and well-being.

Hostile takeovers have long been a controversial topic in the field of corporate governance, reflecting the tension between shareholder wealth maximization and long-term corporate health. With the global integration of capital markets, hostile takeovers have become an important mechanism for restructuring corporate ownership and optimizing resource allocation, but they also trigger fierce debates about their economic effects and legal regulation. This paper systematically explores the legal and economic dimensions of hostile takeovers, focusing on the trade-off between short-term shareholder wealth gains and the sustainability of corporate long-term development. Through analyzing the economic motivation behind hostile takeovers, the impact on shareholder interests and corporate long-term value, as well as the legal regulatory frameworks in different countries, the research finds that hostile takeovers have a dual nature: they can restrain managerial inefficiency and improve resource allocation efficiency, but they may also induce short-termism, damage corporate innovation capacity, and undermine stakeholder interests. Finally, the paper puts forward suggestions for constructing a balanced legal and regulatory system that promotes market efficiency while safeguarding long-term corporate health, so as to realize the coordinated development of shareholder wealth and corporate sustainability.

For decades, paternal health was considered largely irrelevant to pregnancy outcomes, with scientific and clinical attention focused almost exclusively on maternal physiology. This perspective has shifted markedly over the past fifteen years. A growing body of evidence now indicates that paternal diet, physical activity, metabolic status, and broader lifestyle factors exert measurable influences on embryonic development, placental function, and long-term offspring health. These effects are mediated through multiple biological pathways, including sperm DNA methylation, histone retention, small non-coding RNAs, seminal plasma signaling, and immune–metabolic interactions at the time of implantation. Human studies demonstrate that paternal obesity and poor metabolic health are associated with altered sperm epigenetic profiles, dysregulation of imprinted genes such as IGF2, and increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Experimental models further reveal that paternal dietary imbalance—both undernutrition and overnutrition—can impair placental vascularization, induce hypoxia, and program sex-specific metabolic phenotypes in offspring. Conversely, paternal physical activity appears capable of partially counteracting diet-induced epigenetic disruptions, improving offspring metabolic health via modifications of the sperm RNA payload. This narrative review synthesizes evidence from human observational studies, controlled animal experiments, and mechanistic epigenetic research to examine how paternal diet, exercise, and lifestyle shape placental development and offspring health. Particular attention is given to the relevance of these findings for sport science and public health, highlighting paternal preconception health as a modifiable determinant of developmental outcomes.

Struvite (MgNH4PO4⋅6H2O), a sustainable and highly efficient slow-release fertiliser, is gaining 442 significant attention as a promising solution for nutrient recovery from waste streams. Its unique composition, which includes essential nutrients like nitrogen (N) and phosphate (PO4), makes it an effective alternative to conventional fertilisers. In contrast, the widespread application of traditional NPK fertilisers often leads to a high loss of nutrients in the soil through leaching and runoff, negatively impacting both plant growth and overall soil health. While struvite has shown high efficacy in cultivating various crops, its specific effectiveness for growing chili pepper plants and its nutrient leaching behaviour in tropical soil environments have not been extensively studied. To address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive 60-day pot trial was conducted, comparing struvite with conventional NPK fertiliser. The experiment used twelve pots with different soil pH levels, treating them with three fertiliser types at two different dosages, along with a control group. The study, conducted outdoors under shade, revealed that struvite applied at a higher dosage in alkaline soil (pH up to 8.5±0.05) significantly enhanced plant growth compared to NPK treatments, achieving a maximum plant height of 33.4±2.0 cm, a plant body weight of 23.6±2.1 g, and a high leaf count of 57±3.0 leaves. While NPK fertilisers also performed better in alkaline soils, they did not match struvite's performance. Critically, the study confirmed that struvite provides a more controlled and gradual nutrient release than NPK. For instance, the highest PO4 release rate for struvite was 510±10.0 mg/L on day 25 under acidic conditions, while in alkaline soils, its release was slower and more sustained, peaking at approximately 250 -290±5.0 mg/L. These findings highlight the potential of struvite as a viable and sustainable alternative to conventional fertilisers, contributing to reduced nutrient runoff, supporting circular economy practices, and ultimately improving long-term soil health.

Recent increases in family homelessness place children at heightened risk for long-term health challenges. Research has shown that long-term rental subsidies reduce emotional-behavioral and sleep problems among children in homeless families, but the pathways driving these effects are not well understood. This study examined mediating pathways between assignment to housing assistance interventions and improvements in children's emotional-behavioral and sleep outcomes three years later. We used data from the Family Options Study (FOS), a randomized controlled trial by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which enrolled approximately 2,300 families that experienced an emergency shelter stay across 12 US sites. Findings from mediation models adjusting for baseline family and child characteristics to test five candidate mediators-homelessness, intimate partner violence, food insecurity, economic stress, psychological distress-as potential pathways linking housing interventions with children's emotional-behavioral and sleep problems indicated that approximately half (50.7%) of the impact of priority access to long-term rental subsidies (versus usual care) on decreased child emotional-behavior problems operated indirectly through lowered parent stressors, specifically economic and psychological distress. Conversely, the impact of priority access to long-term rental subsidies on decreased child sleep problems was predominantly direct, with minimal evidence of mediation. These findings suggest that stabilizing housing is foundational for children, and its benefits extend to family well-being. Additional research is needed to identify other modifiable pathways to improved child health.

Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) contributes to about 8 million premature deaths worldwide annually. In Türkiye, few studies have examined long-term health impacts, particularly during and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to estimate premature mortality and the respiratory disease burden attributable to PM2.5 from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023. Premature deaths attributable to PM2.5 were estimated using the World Health Organization's (WHO) AirQ+ software. Inputs included annual provincial PM2.5 concentrations (measured directly or at stations without PM2.5 measurements, converted from PM10 using the WHO-recommended factor of 0.67 for Türkiye), mortality data for individuals aged ≥25 years, and demographic data from Turkish Statistical Institute. The Estimates focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Population attributable fractions were calculated. Temporal comparisons were made across pre-pandemic (2019), pandemic (2020-2021), and post-pandemic (2022-2023) periods to capture potential effects of COVID-19-related reductions in industrial production and traffic. Differences were assessed using one-way ANOVA. An annual average of 85,344 premature deaths (95% confidence interval: 79,129-91,559) was attributable to PM2.5. COPD and lung cancer accounted for a significant share of PM2.5-related deaths, with about one in seven linked to COPD. Although temporary improvements in air quality occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, no statistically significant difference was observed in COPD-attributable mortality across the three study periods (P = 0.687). Air pollution remains a major public health challenge in Türkiye. Sustained, region-specific strategies are needed to reduce the burden of PM2.5-related mortality. Inadequate monitoring coverage continues to limit precision in exposure and risk assessment.

Teenagers' saving habits are crucial for their financial well-being in adulthood, yet poor saving behaviors among adolescents have become a prevalent global issue. Traditional financial education often fails to effectively change teenagers' actual behaviors due to their limited self-control and cognitive biases. Behavioral economics, with its focus on "nudging"-subtle, non-coercive interventions that guide choices-provides a new perspective for addressing this problem. This paper systematically explores the application of behavioral economics in shaping teenagers' saving habits, analyzing the behavioral characteristics of teenagers that hinder saving, the theoretical basis of nudging interventions, and practical cases of effective nudges. The research finds that teenagers are prone to present bias, lack of future orientation, and mental accounting fallacies, which undermine their saving intentions. Nudging strategies such as default options, goal setting, and feedback mechanisms can effectively mitigate these biases and promote positive saving behaviors. Finally, the paper puts forward suggestions for constructing a multi-dimensional nudging system involving families, schools, and financial institutions to help teenagers develop sustainable saving habits, laying a solid foundation for their long-term financial health.

This review explores the relationship between maternal obesity and alterations in the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in breast milk, highlighting how these changes may influence the developmental programming of the infant. Evidence suggests that maternal obesity can affect the bioactive composition of breast milk, including miRNA profiles, which are key regulators of metabolic and immune pathways in early life. Specific miRNAs, such as miR-148a and miR-30b, have been identified as modulators of metabolic processes, potentially impacting offspring growth, energy balance, and long-term health outcomes. Additionally, maternal factors such as prepregnancy BMI and dietary patterns play a crucial role in shaping milk composition. Understanding these complex interactions is essential for informing nutritional strategies aimed at supporting optimal infant development and preventing chronic diseases later in life.

Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a common form of mild traumatic brain injury and represents a growing public health concern across youth, adolescent, and adult athletic populations. Characterized by transient neurological dysfunction following biomechanical forces to the head or body, SRC presents with a broad range of cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms and is frequently underrecognized and underreported. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the epidemiology, risk factors, long-term neurocognitive outcomes, and prevention strategies associated with sport-related concussion. Available data indicate that SRC accounts for a substantial proportion of injuries in contact and collision sports, with particularly high incidence among youth and adolescent athletes. Younger individuals appear more vulnerable to prolonged recovery and persistent neurocognitive impairment, likely related to ongoing brain development and biomechanical factors. A history of prior concussion consistently emerges as a major risk factor for subsequent injury and adverse long-term outcomes, with cumulative exposure linked to persistent cognitive deficits and increased risk of later-life mental health disorders. Importantly, growing evidence suggests that neurocognitive impairments may persist beyond clinical symptom resolution, challenging traditional symptom-based return-to-play approaches. Effective prevention of SRC requires a multifaceted strategy. Protective equipment alone is insufficient, while standardized equipment fitting, rule modifications, consistent enforcement, education, and neuromuscular training programs show promise in reducing concussion risk. Coordinated efforts across clinical practice, sport policy, and education are essential to improve concussion recognition, management, and long-term neurological health in athletes.

Introduction. Rising global longevity is leading to a significant increase in the proportion of older adults worldwide. Inherent to this aging process are physiological and neurological declines, such as reduced muscle mass, diminished strength, and impaired cognitive functions. As a key driver of cellular energy production, creatine supplementation may represent a promising strategy to mitigate these deficits and preserve functional independence in older adults. Aim of the study. The aim of this review is to synthesize current evidence on the effects of creatine supplementation on physical performance and cognitive function in older adults. Materials and methods. A systematic review was executed across the PubMed and Google Scholar platforms. The following keywords were used: creatine, aging, geriatrics, sarcopenia, muscle strength, bone density, rehabilitation, cognitive function, memory, fall prevention, resistance training. Results. Creatine supplementation improves both physical and mental health in older adults. It aids in the prevention of sarcopenia, the maintenance of muscle mass and strength, may positively influence bone health, and reduces the risk of falls. Additionally, it has a positive impact on cognitive functions, specifically improving memory and mental processing. Conclusions. Creatine should be considered a key part of nutrition for the geriatric population to support healthy aging. Because it helps both the body and the brain, it is an important tool for improving quality of life. Future research should focus on determining the most effective doses for long-term health.

ABSTRACT This special issue of The History of the Family investigates how environmental and social stressors shape human biology, behaviour, and demographic outcomes across historical populations. Stress, understood as the body’s nonspecific response to challenges that disrupt internal equilibrium, emerges from events such as wars, epidemics, famines, natural disasters, and socioeconomic crises. When experienced during critical developmental windows, particularly in prenatal life, stress can modify growth trajectories, physiological functions, and long-term health profiles, often producing intergenerational effects. Historical evidence presented in this issue demonstrates these dynamics. Epidemics in nineteenth-century Poznań, Transylvania, and the Ottoman Empire significantly altered marriage patterns and mortality structures, while fluctuations in the secondary sex ratio at birth reflected complex interactions among maternal conditions, social environments, and reproductive biology. In western Catalonia, the agrarian depression of the late nineteenth century triggered convergence in adult stature, with individuals from lower-status groups catching up to those from higher-status backgrounds. In Bohemia, increased mobility among elite families corresponded with reduced child survival, revealing how environmental and structural constraints may override social privilege. Collectively, the studies highlight the complexity, heterogeneity, and context dependency of human responses to stress. These historical insights resonate strongly with contemporary concerns: modern stressors, including climate change, environmental degradation, and armed conflict, continue to shape infant health, survival, and social inequality. By integrating biological, demographic, and social perspectives across past and present, this issue underscores the cumulative and multifactorial nature of environmental stress and its socially differentiated impacts. Such interdisciplinary approaches offer valuable guidance for public health, social policy, and resilience-building strategies in the twenty-first century, demonstrating how environmental and social stressors influence growth, reproduction, survival, and family dynamics, while revealing both human vulnerability and resilience.

While early-life growth patterns are thought to be pivotal for long-term cardiovascular health, their specific links to adolescent blood pressure (BP) and potential mediators remain unclear. We aimed to examine the associations of growth trajectories from birth to age two with systolic and diastolic BP in adolescence, and to quantify the proportion mediated by concurrent adolescent BMI. In a prospective birth cohort in rural China, we repeatedly measured infant weight and length at birth and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24months of age. Adolescent BP was measured and converted into percentiles. We used group-based trajectory modeling to identify early-life weight-, length-, BMI- and weight-for-length z-score trajectories and examined their associations with adolescent BP. A general causal mediation estimated the natural indirect effects and corresponding proportions mediated through adolescent BMI. Among the 1388 infants enrolled, 741 (60.9% male; mean age, 11.26 (SD, 0.57) years old) were followed at adolescence. Greater and rapid BMI and weight-for-length growth trajectories were statistically associated with elevated adolescent BP and BP percentiles, with adjusted mean differences ranging from 2.32 to 5.29 mmHg. Adolescent BMI mediated a substantial portion (up to 85%) of the association with systolic BP, but it showed no significant mediating effect for diastolic BP.Conclusion: Rapid adiposity growth in infancy predicts elevated adolescent BP. Since adolescent BMI did not fully explain this association, especially for diastolic BP, preventive interventions within the first 1000 days may be critical for lifelong cardiovascular health beyond managing later childhood weight. Trial registration: ISRCTN08850194, retrospectively registered December 14, 2006. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN08850194?q=ISRCTN08850194&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=1&page=1&pageSize=10 . What is Known • Childhood body mass index (BMI) is positively associated with blood pressure at later life. What is New • This study identifies distinct weight, length, BMI, and weight-for-length growth trajectories from birth to two years of age and links rapid weight-related growth trajectories to elevated blood pressure in early adolescence. • Using causal mediation analysis, it shows adolescent BMI largely mediates the association for systolic, but not diastolic, blood pressure, highlighting interventions within the first 1000 day for lifelong cardiovascular health beyond managing later childhood weight.

Malnutrition is a serious condition caused by nutrient deficiency that poses a high risk to toddler growth and development, potentially leading to long-term health problems or even death if left untreated. Early detection of malnutrition symptoms is crucial to enable prompt and appropriate medical interventions. This study aims to develop an expert system capable of diagnosing malnutrition diseases quickly, accurately, and efficiently, particularly as a knowledge-based decision support tool in toddler healthcare. The method used is Case Based Reasoning (CBR), which applies experiences from previous cases to solve new ones. The system processes data consisting of 22 symptoms and 8 types of malnutrition diseases, supported by a database of 22 real cases. Each symptom is associated with the likelihood of a disease based on its similarity to previous cases. Performance evaluation results show an accuracy of 80% and a sensitivity of 85.7%, indicating that the system is fairly reliable in recognizing positive cases (REUSE) and providing appropriate diagnoses. In conclusion, the CBR- based expert system can serve as an effective diagnostic aid for medical personnel in quickly identifying malnutrition in toddlers, thereby supporting more efficient and targeted decision-making.

Background: Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting millions and imposing significant personal, social, and economic burdens. While pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions are standard treatments, physical activity has emerged as a promising complementary or alternative strategy. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted of peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025, including randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and observational research. Populations examined included adolescents, adults, and older adults. Data extraction focused on depressive symptom outcomes, exercise modalities, intervention duration and intensity, and underlying neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms. Results: Evidence consistently indicates that regular physical activity, particularly aerobic and combined aerobic–resistance exercise, produces moderate to large reductions in depressive symptoms. Mechanistically, exercise enhances brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, modulates monoaminergic neurotransmission, regulates the hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and reduces systemic inflammation. Psychosocial benefits, including behavioral activation, increased self-efficacy, and social engagement, further support sustained mood improvement. Combined interventions often yield the greatest effect, integrating biological, psychological, and social pathways. Conclusion: Physical activity is a safe, accessible, and effective intervention for depression, with benefits extending beyond symptom reduction to improved cognitive function, stress resilience, and overall well-being. Incorporating structured exercise into standard treatment protocols may optimize clinical outcomes and support long-term mental health across diverse populations.

Salinization is a growing global problem, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, where salt concentration interferes with the soil structure, altering natural cycling, decreasing agricultural outputs, and threatening food security. Although many soil amendments have been studied, there is still a limited understanding of their interaction with soil after mixture application and the geochemical processes and long-term sustainability that govern their effects. To address this knowledge gap, this review elucidated the effectiveness and sustainability of soil amendments, biochar, humic substances, and mineral additives in restoring saline and sodic soils of arid and semi-arid region to explore the geochemical processes that underlie their impact. A systematic search of 174 peer-reviewed studies was conducted across multiple databases (Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus) using relevant keywords and the findings were converted into quantitative values to evaluate the effects of biochar, gypsum, zeolite, and humic substances on key soil properties. Biochar significantly improved cation exchange capacity, nutrient retention, microbial activity, and water retention by enhancing soil porosity and capillarity, thereby increasing plant-available water. Gypsum improved phosphorus availability, while zeolite facilitated the removal of sodium and supported microbial activity. Humic substances enhanced soil porosity, water retention, and aggregate stability. When applied together, these amendments improved soil health by regulating salinity, enhancing nutrient cycling, while also stabilizing soil conditions and ensuring long-term sustainability through improved geochemical balance and reduced environmental impacts. The findings highlight the critical role of multi-functional amendments in promoting climate-resilient agriculture and long-term soil health restoration in saline-degraded regions. Further research and field implementation are crucial to optimize their effectiveness and ensure sustainable soil management across diverse agricultural environments.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a major health challenge despite dramatic advances in treatment and prevention. People living with HIV (PLWH) continue to experience high rates of non-AIDS comorbidities, including cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, oncologic, and neurocognitive disorders. These conditions persist under viral suppression, underscoring the lasting biological impact of infection. Epigenetic dysregulation has emerged as a key driver of these outcomes. HIV integration, viral proteins, chronic inflammation, and ART exposure have all been reported to alter DNA methylation, histone modifications, transcription factor networks, and non-coding RNA regulation. These changes extend beyond infected cells, reprogramming uninfected immune and tissue compartments. Long-lived cell populations display features of epigenetic aging contributing to chronic inflammation and multimorbidity. Epigenetic clocks consistently reveal accelerated biological aging in PLWH, linking infection to age-related disease risk. Overall, HIV should be viewed not only as a virologic condition but also as one of persistent epigenomic remodeling. Recognizing how durable reprogramming sustains inflammation, accelerates aging, and promotes comorbidity will be critical for advancing beyond viral suppression toward interventions that mitigate long-term health risks in PLWH.