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Hymen anatomy and physiology remain poorly understood, even among health-care providers. Misconceptions about virginity testing, virginity certification, and hymenoplasty can lead to harmful practices and place women who are unable to prove their virginity at risk of violence or even death. The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of gynecologists and pediatricians in Switzerland regarding virginity testing, virginity certification, and hymenoplasty, and to identify gaps to inform future training and professional guidelines. Gynecologists, pediatricians, and medical students completed a 22-question survey. Group differences were assessed using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, with significance set at 5%. A total of 542 participants completed the survey. Overall, 97.5% believed that the absence of bleeding during the first vaginal penetration does not mean that someone is not a "virgin." However, for 13.3% of respondents, hymenal rupture does define the loss of virginity, and 24.5% believed that a gynecologist can determine virginity status, with a significant association with medical practice settings (P < .001), university hospitals (P = .01), private clinics (P = .009), and public institutions (P < .001). Hymenoplasty was considered effective by 16.2% of the participants in ensuring bleeding at subsequent penetration. The right of patients or family to request a virginity check was acknowledged by 18.9% of participants, even if most respondents (85.9%) believed that practicing hymenal reconstruction reinforces gender inequalities. In addition, 68% of participants agreed that a virginity certificate should be issued in life-threatening situations.A little over one-third (39.3%) of the responding physicians had received at least one request for virginity testing, certification, or hymenal reconstructive surgery; 30.4% of them accepted the request, but only 28.8% of all requests offered multidisciplinary management. Women may encounter different approaches depending on the health-care professional they consult, reflecting a lack of standardized care. This national survey highlights substantial knowledge gaps and variability in practice among Swiss health-care professionals, underscores the absence of official guidelines and a coordinated support network, and calls on Swiss medical societies to establish clear, evidence-based recommendations that prioritize patient information, safety, and support while integrating these topics into education, residency training, and medical school curricula.
With increasing waste generation and environmental concerns in textiles, biodegradability is considered one of the most important waste management strategies. The biodegradability behavior of textile products made from virgin materials has been extensively studied. Although it is known that recycled textile products provide significant environmental benefits, whether these materials have created a change in terms of biodegradability is still a subject of interest. Biodegradation of woven fabrics made of virgin cotton (CO)/recycled cotton (r-CO) fibers, recycled polyester (r-PET)/r-CO fiber blends, 100% r-PET fibers and their virgin counterparts, (100% CO and 100% virgin polyester (PET)) fibers were investigated in soil for 1-, 4- and 7- month soil burial periods. Biodegradability properties were determined by weight loss analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and microorganism and organic carbon analyses. According to the results of the study, fabrics made from 100% CO and CO/r-CO fibers exhibited degradation rate of 93-95% after 1 month and complete degradation after 4 months. While biodegradation occurred depending on the r-CO ratio in the structure for fabrics produced from r-PET/r-CO fibers, no degradation was observed for 100% PET and 100% r-PET fabrics after 1, 4, and 7 months. It was concluded that recycled fibers in the structure exhibited similar degradation behavior to their virgin counterparts. Furthermore, SEM and FTIR analyses confirmed the weight loss results. The results of total bacteria, yeast-mold, and organic carbon analyses showed different trends depending on the soil burial periods and biodegradability of the samples.
Repeated heating of vegetable oils leads to the generation of toxic oxidation products, which activate systemic oxidative stress and cause multi-organ injuries. This study examined the hepatorenal synergistic protection of Curcumin Nano-Emulsion (CNE) and virgin coconut oil (VCO) against the toxicity of thermally stressed sunflower oil (HSO) and explored the underlying antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. CNE was characterized by nanoscale particle size, high encapsulation efficiency, and excellent stability. HSO was supplemented with VCO (20% w/w) and CNE (200 ppm) to evaluate improvements in oxidative stability in vitro by measuring peroxide value, p-anisidine value, total polar compounds, and toxic aldehydes. For the in vivo study, sixty-four male Wistar rats were fed different oil-based diets for two months. Biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory indices, and histopathological changes in liver and kidney tissues were assessed. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to evaluate NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways. Supplementation of HSO with VCO and CNE significantly improved oxidative stability compared with individual treatments and TBHQ, with marked reductions in peroxide value, p-anisidine value, total polar compounds, and toxic aldehydes. HSO induced significant hepatorenal injury, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and inflammation in rats. The combined treatment (HSO + VCO + CNE) markedly ameliorated these alterations, nearly restoring biochemical parameters to normal levels and minimizing histopathological damage. A strong downregulation of the NF-κB pathway and activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway were observed. Co-administration of curcumin nano-emulsion and virgin coconut oil effectively enhances the oxidative stability and safety of thermally stressed edible oils. These findings suggest a promising natural strategy to reduce oil-induced toxicity and support safer industrial oil processing approaches aligned with public health protection.
Phenolic compounds in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) may improve oxidative status, yet responses may vary across populations and dietary contexts. This study was aimed to evaluate whether long-term consumption of a tyrosol/hydroxytyrosol-enriched EVOO (HP-EVOO) improves plasma total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) in older adults at high cardiovascular risk, and whether baseline adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) modifies this response. In this pilot randomized intervention trial, 34 older adults (73.1 ± 5.9 years; 65% men) stratified as healthy controls or post-myocardial infarction (post-MI) consumed 25 mL/day of standard EVOO, HP-EVOO, or refined olive oil (ROO) for 26 weeks. Plasma TEAC was measured at baseline and follow-up. Baseline MedDiet adherence was derived from 3-day food diaries and categorized as low vs high. TEAC changes differed by clinical status within the EVOO group: post-MI participants showed a greater increase than healthy controls (+402 μM; 95% CI 162-641). Similarly, within the EVOO group, participants with high vs low MedDiet adherence exhibited a greater TEAC increase (+274 μM; 95% CI 1.6-545). No significant between-group TEAC differences were observed after HP-EVOO or ROO. In older adults, standard EVOO with moderate phenolic content improved plasma TEAC in post-MI participants and in those with higher baseline MedDiet adherence, whereas further phenolic enrichment did not enhance TEAC. These findings suggest that antioxidant responses to olive oil are context-dependent and not solely driven by phenolic concentration. Larger trials are warranted.
Poor diet is now the leading cause of early death globally. In part, this is because our complex food supply chains are increasingly at risk of overprocessing, contamination, low nutrient content, and economically motivated fraud. Chemical testing can offer insights into these concerns, but testing methods are frequently impractical. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a premium food of high nutritional value, but because of its growing popularity and high price, it can be a target for mislabeling, substitution, dilution, and/or false claims of origin. Rapid and accurate testing methods for its characterization are therefore increasingly important. We used two direct forms of mass spectrometry (MS)-laser desorption/ionization (LDI) MS and direct analysis in real time (DART) MS-to obtain complex chemical signatures of edible oils. The data generated on a set of reference samples were then used to develop and train three independent machine learning (ML) models that assess key characteristics of a test oil. We also developed a proof-of-concept DART-MS/MS assay add-on for the quantification of bioactive phenols in EVOO. Our approach accurately predicts several attributes of an edible oil based on novel markers and intricate patterns within the acquired data. Further, pure reference standards and an isotopically-labeled internal standard allow accurate quantification of the constituent phenols. Because there is no chromatography, both the mass fingerprints and quantification can be performed in seconds-minutes. The method uses low (milliliter) volumes of sample and green solvents, and when combined with ML, it offers rapid data analysis and comprehensive result interpretation.
Background/Objectives: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a key component of the Mediterranean diet, has attracted research interest because olive-derived phenolics demonstrate potential anticancer activity in experimental models. This review summarizes evidence concerning whole EVOO, phenolic-enriched EVOO, olive phenolic extracts, and the isolated compounds hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, oleocanthal, and oleacein. Methods: A structured narrative search of PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted for literature published between 2015 and 2025. Evidence was reviewed for breast, prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, bone, oral, liver, gastric, hematological, and brain cancers. Comparatively limited evidence concerning cervical, endometrial, ovarian, melanoma, non-melanoma skin, and thyroid cancers was summarized separately. Results: The molecular evidence was derived primarily from cell culture and animal studies using isolated phenolics and concentrated extracts. Preclinical studies indicate that EVOO phenolics may demonstrate anticancer activity through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, inhibition of metastasis, anti-angiogenic activity, and modulation of key signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, p53, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related pathways. Most molecular and pathway-level evidence was obtained using isolated phenolic compounds in cell culture or animal models, whereas evidence directly examining whole EVOO consumption was largely observational and substantially more limited. Experimental studies also reported that oleocanthal induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization, whereas hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein promoted mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, preclinical combination studies suggested enhanced tumor-cell sensitivity to selected chemotherapeutic, targeted, and immunotherapeutic agents. However, these effects have not been established in patients. Human evidence remains limited mainly to observational dietary associations and small exploratory interventions, with no conclusive demonstration of cancer prevention or therapeutic efficacy. Conclusions: Isolated EVOO-derived phenolic compounds demonstrated promising anticancer mechanisms in preclinical models. However, these results should not be directly extrapolated to dietary EVOO because experimentally administered doses, bioavailability, metabolism, and food-matrix interactions differ substantially from human dietary exposure. Therefore, well-designed studies using chemically characterized EVOO, pharmacokinetic investigations, and controlled human trials are required before dietary or clinical recommendations can be made.
Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide and is driven by complex metabolic and inflammatory disturbances. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a hallmark of the Mediterranean diet, contains numerous bioactive compounds that may exert beneficial effects on liver and cardiometabolic health. This preliminary study investigated the interactions of selected EVOO-derived compounds, with molecular targets implicated in MASLD using an integrated in silico approach. Methods: Phenolic compounds, secoiridoids, fatty acids, sterols, squalene, and vitamin E were evaluated. Physicochemical properties, drug-likeness, and pharmacokinetic profiles were predicted using ADMETlab 3.0. Molecular docking analyses were performed against liver X receptors (LXRα and LXRβ), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα and PPARγ), hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, cyclooxygenase-1, and cyclooxygenase-2. Binding modes were further examined by three-dimensional interaction analyses. Results: The investigated compounds displayed heterogeneous physicochemical and pharmacokinetic profiles. Oleuropein, oleacein, and oleocanthal demonstrated the most consistent binding patterns across targets involved in lipid metabolism, inflammation, and cardiometabolic regulation. In contrast, highly lipophilic compounds, including squalene, β-sitosterol, and vitamin E, frequently achieved high docking scores but formed fewer biologically relevant interactions. Conclusions: EVOO phenolics, particularly oleuropein, oleacein, and oleocanthal, emerged as promising multi-target modulators of MASLD-related pathways, supporting the potential role of EVOO in MASLD prevention and management.
[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42504.].
This study examines how reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) dosage, virgin-binder grade, and virgin-binder content govern the cracking response of Marshall-designed mixtures. The experimental matrix comprised four RAP levels (30%, 40%, 50%, and 60%), two modified virgin binders (PG 76-22 and PG 88-34) evaluated at their respective optimum asphalt contents (OACs), and two binder-rich PG 76-22 variants (OAC + 0.3 and OAC + 0.5 percentage points); virgin mixtures served as controls. Cracking behavior was characterized by low-temperature semi-circular bending (SCB), the Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT), and direct-tension cyclic fatigue (DTCF). Fracture and fatigue indicators were subsequently integrated into cracking balance design diagrams, and k-means clustering was used to derive provisional, dataset-specific performance boundaries for long-term oven-aged mixtures. The results show that the higher-performance binder improved long-term cracking resistance at moderate RAP contents. By contrast, mixtures with 50% or 60% RAP and PG 76-22 displayed a distinctly brittle response. Increasing the PG 76-22 content above OAC produced only limited gains. These findings demonstrate that binder quality, rather than a small increase in binder dosage, is the more effective lever for balancing fracture and fatigue resistance in mixtures with substantial RAP contents.
Benthic cyanobacteria, notably the genus Microcoleus, are a common contributor to benthic harmful algal blooms globally and can produce neurotoxins. Microcoleus can thrive in nutrient-limited freshwater environments, which present significant environmental and public health challenges. In May 2023, we observed Microcoleus mat growing in a small tributary of the Virgin River in Zion National Park near the Temple of Sinawava and collected benthic mats from three rock and three sandy substrate (strata) sites in the Virgin River. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the bottom substrate (sand versus rock) on the ecophysiology of cyanobacteria, primarily Microcoleus, and other coexisting bacteria. Toxin measurements revealed that all the benthic mat samples contained anatoxin-a (ATX377.13±18.05 µg/g of wet mat) and dihydroanatoxin-a (15±0.3 µg/g of wet mat), and anatoxin-A was also present in the water column (0.377 µg/L). Low chlorophyll-a levels and microscopy results indicate that the toxins in the water flowing into the Virgin River presumably originated from benthic sources rather than from planktonic algae. Community analysis showed strong cyanobacterial dominance (>60%) in mats. Biofilms, especially those formed on sand as compared to those formed on rocks, supported greater heterotrophic bacterial diversity. A single dominant toxigenic Microcoleus genotype occurred across both strata (rock and sand) at all sampled sites, and it is closely related to the Microcoleus anatoxicus previously found in the Russian River, CA. Bottom strata type effects were most prominent in phosphorus acquisition: rock-associated heterotrophic communities showed higher expression of phosphonate utilization genes (C-P lyase) and glycerophosphodiester utilization (ugp). Samples from both substrates showed strong expression of pst/pho regulators, indicating organic phosphorus uptake. Active nitrogen fixation genes were also found in some metagenomic-assembled genomes (MAGs), suggesting internal nitrogen cycling in Microcoleus mats. Despite producing dihydroanatoxin-a, Microcoleus MAGs from this study lack the anaK gene, which is hypothesized to convert anatoxin-a to dihydroanatoxin-a. Toxic Microcoleus genomes recovered from Zion National Park encoded a complete thiamine biosynthesis pathway, including thiD. This contrasts with previous studies, which reported thiD loss in toxic Microcoleus. Overall, our results show a stable toxic Microcoleus genotype that dominates across substrates, while substrate-linked community functions between rock and sand habitats vary, especially in phosphorus acquisition.
Materials under real-world conditions are subjected to coupled mechanical and chemical stressors, yet current testing platforms cannot capture their combined effects on material behavior and failure, particularly when multiple specimens are required for robust measurements. This limitation is acute for recycled materials, whose performance cannot be inferred from a few conventional tests. Here, we introduce an in situ, high-throughput photoelasticity platform for multispecimen testing under controlled chemical conditions with full-field stress visualization. Using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) as a model system under simultaneous loading and varying pH, we reveal earlier onset of crack propagation and shorter lifetimes compared to virgin PET and quantify mechanochemical process zone expansion from ∼0.08 to ∼0.25 millimeters before failure. Extending these findings to landfill geotextiles, a growing application of rPET, we show that alkaline degradation erodes rPET environmental and economic advantages over virgin PET above pH 9. This integrated workflow, linking instrumentation to mechanistic insights to sustainability-informed decision-making, can accelerate the deployment of emerging, circular materials.
This study systematically evaluates the application prospects of three chemical recycling technologies for resource recovery from PET medical waste and the sustainable production of biomedical materials: catalytic pyrolysis, thermochemical recovery, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Orthogonal experimental designs and Box-Behnken response surface methodologies were used to optimise process parameters, and an extended assessment platform covering chemical purity, molecular weight distribution, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties was established. Under optimised conditions (200 °C, 3% w/w catalyst, 4 h, 6:1 ethylene-glycol-to-PET mass ratio), catalytic pyrolysis with zinc acetate achieved a terephthalic acid (TPA) recovery of 92.3 ± 1.8% at a product purity of 98.2 ± 0.5%, and retained 97.6% of the tensile strength and 97.4% of the elastic modulus of virgin PET. Although the enzymatic process was relatively long at 24 h, it had the best biocompatibility (L929 fibroblast viability 94.1 ± 2.2% and haemolysis 1.82 ± 0.28%) and reduced the carbon footprint by 46.5% compared to catalytic processing. Thermochemical recovery was completed in 1 h at 500 °C, achieving a TPA recovery of 71.2 ± 3.8%, and is suitable for large-scale processing of low-value medical waste streams. Biocompatibility tests showed that PET regenerated via the three paths met the ISO 10993 series of standards, with a cytotoxicity grade of 0-1 and an endotoxin content below 0.5 EU/mL. Gel permeation chromatography showed that the number-average molecular weight (Mn) of chemically recycled PET was between 21,200 and 24,100 g·mol-1 (compared to 24,500 g·mol-1 for virgin PET), approximately 86.5% to 98.4% of the virgin value, and significantly higher than mechanically recycled PET. The technical route and quality-control system established here provide a scientific basis for the closed-loop recycling of medical-grade PET and support the green transformation of the medical industry.
The New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae), remains one of the most economically important livestock pests in the Americas. Although wound-associated attractants and putative contact pheromones have been identified, little is known about how mating influences cuticular chemical signals associated with reproductive communication used for Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)-based eradication programs. Here, we characterized cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of virgin and mated male and female C. hominivorax (J-06 strain) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate analyses. Twenty-one major hydrocarbons, consisting primarily of n-alkanes and mono- and dimethyl-branched hydrocarbons ranging from C23 to C37 , were detected across all treatment groups. Total hydrocarbon abundance did not differ among treatments; however, CHC composition differed significantly between sexes and was strongly influenced by mating status. Virgin males and females exhibited pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males enriched in lower-molecular-weight hydrocarbons and females characterized by greater relative abundances of longer-chain compounds. Mating-induced substantial shifts in CHC composition, particularly in females. The compounds contributing most strongly to these differences were predominantly methyl- and dimethyl-branched hydrocarbons implicated in mate recognition and reproductive signaling. These findings identify mating status as a previously unrecognized determinant of CHC composition, provide the first characterization of mating-associated variation in cuticular hydrocarbons in C. hominivorax, and identify candidate chemical signatures of mating that may contribute to female monogamy and provide candidate semiochemicals for future behavioral and functional studies.
Olive oil, particularly virgin (VOO) and extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), is a central component of the Mediterranean diet and has been associated with cardiometabolic, anti-inflammatory, and intestinal health benefits. Increasing evidence suggests that these effects may involve interactions with the gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, and host inflammatory pathways. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on the impact of olive oil, olive-derived phenolics, and olive oil-rich dietary patterns on gut microbiota modulation, barrier function, inflammatory bowel diseases, and related systemic outcomes. The available literature indicates that olive oil may interact with the gut ecosystem through both its oleic acid-rich lipid matrix and its minor phenolic fraction. VOO and EVOO appear more consistently associated than refined oils with microbial or microbial metabolite profiles related to saccharolytic metabolism, short-chain fatty acid production, mucus-layer dynamics, and anti-inflammatory intestinal environments. Olive-derived phenolics, including hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein derivatives, and oleocanthal, can undergo microbial biotransformation and may influence bile acid metabolism, epithelial barrier integrity, and inflammatory signaling. Whole EVOO evidence is strongest in experimental colitis models, whereas human evidence mainly supports effects on postprandial endotoxemia, lipid oxidation, and selected inflammatory markers. However, findings remain heterogeneous and depend on oil quality, phenolic composition, comparator fat, dietary context, and host condition. Well-controlled human studies directly comparing EVOO, VOO, refined olive oil, and oleic acid-rich controls are needed to clarify reproducible microbiota-mediated effects and their relevance to intestinal and systemic health.
Efficient component separation is a prerequisite for high-value recycling of blended textile waste. Herein, a two-stage metal-free recycling process for wool/polyamide 6 (PA6) carpet waste is developed, combining mild acid-assisted selective separation with monomer-level PA6 regeneration. Acetic acid pretreatment at 80 °C removes surface dyes, followed by formic acid treatment for selective PA6 dissolution. Both acids are efficiently recyclable via low-temperature rotary evaporation, with an average PA6 recovery yield over 75% across five consecutive cycles. Recovered wool preserves its original scale structure and tensile strength comparable to virgin fibers, and reclaimed PA6 maintains its macromolecular and crystalline structure, verifying the mildness of the separation protocol. The recovered PA6 is further depolymerized via a microwave-assisted acetic anhydride/organobase system, where the phosphazene base tBuP4 achieves a maximum N-acetyl-ε-caprolactam yield of 74.6%. Depolymerization efficiency is governed by catalyst basicity, nucleophilicity, and acetic anhydride-mediated polyamide backbone activation. After deacetylation, the resulting ε-caprolactam is repolymerized with the same tBuP4 catalyst, producing regenerated PA6 with chemical structure and thermal properties nearly identical to virgin PA6.
In injection moulding, the cooling phase occupies 60-80% of the cycle time, making it the dominant factor for cost-effectiveness and a key driver of dimensional accuracy. Most previous work identified process windows that minimise warpage by simulation, indirectly inferring cooling time. This study experimentally quantifies the effect of cooling time on demoulding temperature and the resulting dimensional deviations. Housing parts were moulded from virgin and post-consumer recycled (PCR) polypropylene (PP). For PCR, a 33 full-factorial design varied cooling time, cylinder temperature and mould temperature. Data were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). For virgin PP, a nine-level design examined cooling time in finer detail. ANOVA revealed R2CT of 0.54 for the effect of cooling time on demoulding temperature, identifying cooling time as the principal factor. For dimensional accuracy, the mould temperature showed the strongest effect (R2MT = 0.44), while cooling-time changes from 0 s to 4 s showed a comparable effect (R2CT = 0.36). For virgin PP, both the demoulding temperature and dimensional deviations decreased at a diminishing rate with increasing cooling time. Thus, a targeted adjustment of the cooling time in short time intervals leads to a significant improvement in dimensional accuracy without substantially compromising cost-effectiveness.
This work utilized terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to characterize epoxy blends. The epoxy blends were prepared by blending a virgin DER-332/LC-100 epoxy system with Recovered Epoxy Polymer (REP) at 1-10 wt%, and were compared with references of virgin epoxy and REP. The REP was obtained via peracetic acid digestion of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), followed by purification. Using THz-TDS amplitude-phase analysis, five optical parameters were obtained: refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (κ), absorption coefficient (α), and the real and imaginary of the dielectric constant (ε' and ε″). Under ambient conditions, these parameters extracted from THz-TDS were unable to distinguish low REP content 0-10% REP but were able to clearly differentiate 100% REP from all other epoxy blends. Compared to the other blends, 100% REP shows markedly increased n, κ, α, ε', and ε″, attributed to oxidation, formation of polar groups, chain scission and microvoid-induced scattering. To distinguish low REP-content blends using THz-TDS, external perturbation was applied. Under perturbation, linear concentration-dependent trends in Δn, Δκ, Δα, Δε' and Δε'' were observed. The external perturbation enhanced the interaction between the samples and the THz wave, likely due to amplification of dipole relaxation. Additionally, the transmission spectra (3500-7500 cm⁻1) obtained from FTIR increased as the REP content increased from 0-10%. This concentration dependent trend can be attributed to partial network dilution and reduced overtone absorption. However, the transmission of 100% REP showed strong attenuation due to structural disorder and enhanced scattering.
Sustainable management of plastic waste is critical for advancing circular material flows and reducing dependence on fossil resources. However, comparative environmental assessments across treatment technologies remain limited, particularly in developing regions where informal disposal practices persist. This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) framework comparing four plastic waste treatment pathways: mechanical recycling, pyrolysis-based plastic-to-fuel (PTF) conversion, chemical recycling for monomer recovery, and open burning. Using primary operational data from an industrial-scale PTF facility with literature-validated parameters for comparative scenarios, we applied ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method to quantify environmental impacts, with emphasis on global warming potential (GWP). Monomer recovery exhibited lowest net GWP (9443 kg CO₂ eq per ton of plastic waste) due to credits from displacing virgin polymer production, representing approximately 20% lower emissions than mechanical recycling (11,830 kg CO₂ eq/t) and 31% lower emissions than PTF conversion (13,700 kg CO₂ eq/t). Open burning, still common in informal systems, generated catastrophic emissions exceeding 3.2 million kg CO₂ eq per ton, approximately 230-340 times higher than engineered alternatives. For the engineered treatment pathways, transportation was the dominant contributor to total GWP (60-73%), suggesting that infrastructure decentralization and improved collection logistics may deliver larger benefits than process-level efficiency improvements. Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis confirmed robust comparative rankings, with coefficients of variation below 15% for all scenarios. These findings support integrated waste management strategies that combine mechanical and chemical recycling based on feedstock quality, and inform policy priorities for regions transitioning from informal to formal waste management. The framework provides a transferable method for context-specific assessment of plastic waste treatment options.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of regenerating WG-12 granular activated carbon used in drinking water treatment, based on a case study of the "Miedwie" Water Production Plant supplying the city of Szczecin, Poland. The investigation was conducted using samples collected from eight adsorption beds after five years of operation. Thermal regeneration was performed in a steam atmosphere at 600-850 °C for 20 min, and the regenerated samples were subsequently demineralized using a 1.75% HCl solution. The effectiveness of the process was evaluated using changes in the iodine number, BET specific surface area, bulk density, mechanical strength, regeneration mass yield, and an adsorption-mechanical trade-off index. Thermal regeneration substantially improved the adsorption properties of the spent carbon. The mean iodine number increased from 528.2 mg/g to 858.1 mg/g after regeneration at 800 °C, while the specific surface area increased from 480.4 to 806.9 m2/g. The application of demineralization further enhanced process efficiency. In the 800 °C + 1.75% HCl variant, an iodine number of 903.9 mg/g and a specific surface area of 883.6 m2/g were obtained, corresponding to recoveries of 95.1% and 98.2% of the reference values for virgin carbon, respectively. The improvement in adsorption properties was accompanied by a decrease in bulk density and a moderate reduction in mechanical strength. The most favorable process variant was regeneration at 800 °C combined with HCl demineralization, for which the adsorption-mechanical trade-off index reached 93.7%. The results indicate that regeneration of WG-12 effectively restores the adsorption potential of the material and may reduce the need for complete bed replacement while maintaining acceptable mechanical durability. The analysis also indicates that increasing the temperature to 850 °C is not technologically justified because it does not improve adsorption performance and simultaneously increases material loss, which is important from both economic and sustainability perspectives. The proposed ISM index should be regarded as a supplementary screening tool for comparing regeneration variants within the same experimental system, whereas mass yield and cost-related aspects should be evaluated separately to avoid overstating the universality of the index.
The association between sub-optimal paternal diet and offspring well-being is becoming established. However, the underlying mechanisms are yet to be fully defined. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of over- and under-nutrition, with or without macronutrient supplementation, on male reproductive fitness and post-fertilisation development. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either control diet (CD), isocaloric low-protein diet (LPD), high-fat/sugar 'Western' diet (WD), or LPD or WD supplemented with methyl donors and carriers (MD-LPD or MD-WD, respectively) for 8 weeks before mating with virgin C57/BL6J females. Placental tissue was collected at embryonic day (E)8.5 to assess early placental (ectoplacental cone) morphology and metabolism and E17.5 for sex-specific transcriptomic profiling. Post-mating, stud male tissues were harvested for the assessment of testicular morphology and gene expression, gut microbiota composition, and metabolic status. WD and MD-WD males displayed increased adiposity, hepatic cholesterol and free fatty acids, and gut microbiota dysbiosis when compared to CD-fed males. In the testes, WD and MD-WD perturbed the expression of genes associated with metabolism and transcription regulation. Additionally, we observed differential expression of multiple genes within the Wnt signalling pathway, central in the regulation of cellular proliferation, migration, survival, and cell fate determination during development. Despite no impact on fundamental male fertility, significant changes in ectoplacental cone metabolism, fetal growth, and placental gene expression were observed in response to specific dietary regimens. Interestingly, while CD male and female placentas displayed 301 genome-wide, sexually dimorphic genes, LPD, MD-LPD, WD, and MD-WD male and female placentas possessed only 13, 0, 14, and 15 sexually dimorphic genes, respectively. Our data show that while sub-optimal paternal diet has minimal impact on male fertility, fetal and placental development are perturbed in a sex-specific manner.