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Nasal polyps (NPs) are benign inflammatory masses causing chronic nasal obstruction, usually associated with underlying chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), which are rarely reported in childhood. The interest in NPs has recently increased due to new therapeutic options, namely biological agents, such as dupilumab, and an update of the European position paper on this topic was released in 2020, providing a detailed classification for these lesions and also discussing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches also in children. In childhood, NPs usually represent red flags for systemic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and immunodeficiencies. This review outlines the recent data on NPs in childhood, focusing on predisposing factors for CRS as well as on the potential endotypes in this particular age group, for which further studies are required in order to better clarify their pathogenesis and to identify molecular biomarkers that could help achieve more personalized treatments.

Using woody biomass in thermochemical gasification can be a viable alternative for producing renewable energy. The type of biomass and the process parameters influence the producer gas composition and quality. This paper presents research on the composition of the producer gas from the gasification of three woody biomass species: spruce, alder, and pine. The experiments were conducted in a drop-tube reactor at temperatures of 750, 850, and 950 °C, using air as the gasifying agent, with equivalence ratios of 0.38 and 0.19. Gas chromatography with a thermal conductivity detector was used to determine the composition of the producer gas, while the production of total organic compounds was detected using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. All three wood species exhibited very similar producer gas composition. The highest concentration of combustible gases was recorded at 950 °C, with an average of 4.1, 20.5, and 4.6 vol% for H2, CO, and CH4, respectively, and a LHV ranging from 4.3–5.1 MJ/m3. The results were in accordance with other gasification studies of woody species. Higher temperatures enhanced the composition of the producer gas by promoting endothermic and exothermic gasification reactions, increasing gas production while lowering solid and tar yields. The highest concentrations of combustible gases were observed with an equivalence ratio of 0.38. Continuous TOC measurement allowed understanding the evolution of the gasification process and the relation between a higher production of TOC and CO as the gasification temperature raised.

The paper aims at testing an innovative organic fertilizer obtained from waste by processing a mixture of marine algae biomass, sewage municipal sludge and farmyard manure. Design of this polycomposite fertilizer is based on adequate conceptual and experimental models by taking into account the complex interactions among these three biomasses. In the first step a detail physico-chemical analysis has been performed on the composition of the three raw materials and also on the soil. In the second phase similar analyses have been carried out on representative samples of soil treated with the compost as compared with untreated soil samples. Analytical methods applied were FT-IR spectroscopy in correlation with organic/inorganic and total carbon (TOC/TIC/TC) analysis. The efficiency of applying this compost on the field at large scale has been assessed by means of fatty acid content of the oleaginous plants cultivated. Based on correlation between production quality and chemical composition of the composted soil, the optimal proportions of the mixture of the three organic wastes will be selected for designing an eco-friendly fertilizer able to improve agrochemical properties of the soil.

The increasing demand for smart vehicles with many sensing capabilities will escalate data traffic in vehicular networks. Meanwhile, available network resources are limited. The emergence of AI implementation in vehicular network resource allocation opens the opportunity to improve resource utilization to provide more reliable services. Accordingly, many resource allocation schemes with various machine learning algorithms have been proposed to dynamically manage and allocate network resources. This survey paper presents how machine learning is leveraged in the vehicular network resource allocation strategy. We focus our study on determining its role in the mechanism. First, we provide an analysis of how authors designed their scenarios to orchestrate the resource allocation strategy. Secondly, we classify the mechanisms based on the parameters they chose when designing the algorithms. Finally, we analyze the challenges in designing a resource allocation strategy in vehicular networks using machine learning. Therefore, a thorough understanding of how machine learning algorithms are utilized to offer a dynamic resource allocation in vehicular networks is provided in this study.

As the most important paper packaging materials, corrugated cartons with a tremendous amount of production demonstrate several advantages and have been widely used in daily life. However, waste corrugated cartons (WCCs) are usually recycled and reused to produce new corrugated cartons, and their properties are decreased dramatically after several cycles. Therefore, recycling and converting WCCs into cellulose-based film with high value is attractive and significant. Herein, without any pretreatment, the waste old corrugated cartons were directly dissolved in ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, and semitransparent cellulose-based films were successfully fabricated. It was indicated that cellulose-based films displayed better UV-shielding property and hydrophobicity than traditional cellulose films. Interestingly, the cellulose-based films regenerated from deionized water displayed higher tensile strength, elongation at break, and toughness. Their tensile strength could reach 23.16 MPa, exhibiting enormous superiority as wrapping and packaging materials to replace the petrochemical polyethylene membrane (8.95 MPa). Consequently, these renewable, biodegradable, and high-valued cellulose-based films were successfully fabricated to simultaneously realize the valorization of old corrugated cartons and supplement the petrochemical plastics.

Blood from livestock slaughtering imposes a high organic pollution load and risks. If it is discharged untreated to sewer systems, it increases the organic pollution load on wastewater treatment plants by 35–50%. This paper reviews blood anaerobic digestion. It analyzes the quantities, composition, methane potential reported, microbiology, biochemical pathways of blood protein degradation, environmental and health issues, and strategies suggested to manage them during livestock blood anaerobic digestion. Although challenging, anaerobic digestion of blood as a mono-substrate is possible if the culture-reactor system is controlled based on a complete characterization and understanding of the microbial community and its metabolic activities. Co-digestion of blood and other feedstock proceeds well if the mixtures are well designed. Generally, the specific methane yield from digesting blood alone ranges between zero and 0.45 m3 kg−1 protein, whereas for co-digesting blood and other substrates, the yield varies between 0.1 and 0.7 m3 kg−1 volatile solids. More research is required for microbiology and kinetics, the role of adsorbents, reactor configuration, and culture adaptation during anaerobic digestion of blood to better control the process.

In aquaculture, constructed wetland (CW) has recently attracted attention for use in effluent purification due to its low running costs, high efficiency and convenient operation,. However, less data are available regarding the long-term efficiency of farm-scale CW for cleaning effluents from inland freshwater fish farms. This study investigated the effectiveness of CW for the removal of nutrients, organic matter, phytoplankton, heavy metals and microbial contaminants in effluents from a blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) farm during 2013–2018. In the study, we built a farm-scale vertical subsurface flow CW which connected with a fish pond, and its performance was evaluated during the later stage of fish farming. The results show that CW improved the water quality of the fish culture substantially. This system was effective in the removal of nutrients, with a removal rate of 21.43–47.19% for total phosphorus (TP), 17.66–53.54% for total nitrogen (TN), 32.85–53.36% for NH4+-N, 33.01–53.28% NH3-N, 30.32–56.01% for NO3−-N and 42.75–63.85% for NO2−-N. Meanwhile, the chlorophyll a (Chla) concentration was significantly reduced when the farming water flowed through the CW, with a 49.69–62.01% reduction during 2013–2018. However, the CW system only had a modest effect on the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the aquaculture effluents. Furthermore, concentrations of copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) were reduced by 39.85% and 55.91%, respectively. A microbial contaminants test showed that the counts of total coliform (TC) and fecal coliform (FC) were reduced by 55.93% and 48.35%, respectively. In addition, the fish in the CW-connected pond showed better growth performance than those in the control pond. These results indicate that CW can effectively reduce the loads of nutrients, phytoplankton, metals, and microbial contaminants in effluents, and improve the water quality of fish ponds. Therefore, the application of CW in intensive fish culture systems may provide an advantageous alternative for achieving environmental sustainability.

Resident combustion of solid fuel has been widely acknowledged as a high potential for pollutant reduction. However, there is a marked asymmetry between more pollutant emission and less burned volatiles of biomass and coal in the combustion process. To study the solid fuel optimum combustion form in a household stove, both the pollution reduction and energy efficient utilization of crop straws and coals were investigated. Taking the molding pressure and clay addition ratio as variable process conditions, the research of bio-coal briquette (made from the mixture of anthracite and biomass) was implemented in the range of 15~35 MP and 5~15%, respectively. Biomass and coal work complementarily for each other’s combustion property development. In particular, the pyrolysis gas produced by biomass low-temperature devolatilization is featured with low ignition point and is distributed in the bio-coal briquette. Its own combustion provides energy for anthracite particle combustion. Consequently, a positive effect was identified when bio-coal briquettes were used as residential fuel, and further improvement manifested in reducing more than 90% of particle matter (PM) and achieving about twice the thermal efficiencies (TEs) compared with the mass-weighted average values of coal briquettes and biomass briquettes. 88.8 ± 11.8%, 136.7 ± 13.7% and 81.4 ± 17.7% more TEs were provided by wheat straw–coal briquettes, rice straw–coal briquettes and maize straw–coal briquettes. 93.3 ± 3.1% (wheat straw–coal), 97.6 ± 0.2% (rice straw–coal) and 90.4 ± 2.2% (maize straw–coal) in terms of PM2.5 emission factors (EFs) was reduced. For bio-coal briquette, a 25 MPa and 10% addition were determined as the optimum molding pressure and clay addition ratio. Bio-coal briquettes with higher TEs and lower PM EFs will bring about substantial benefits for air quality promotion, human health and energy saving.

A hybrid Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor—Membrane Bioreactor (MBBR-MBR) was developed for the treatment of wastewater from a Spanish textile company. Compared with conventional activated sludge (CAS) treatment, the feasibility of this hybrid system to reduce economic and environmental impact on an industrial scale was conducted. The results showed that, technically, the removal efficiency of COD, TSS and color reached 93%, 99% and 85%, respectively. The newly dyed fabrics performed with the treated wastewater were qualified under the standards of the textile industry. Economically, the values of Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) calculated for the hybrid MBBR-MBR system are profitable because of the reduction in Operational Expenditure (OPEX) when compared with CAS treatment, due to the lower effluent discharge tax thanks to the higher quality of the effluent and the decolorizing agent saved. The result of Net Present Value (NPV) and the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 18% suggested that MBBR-MBR is financially applicable for implantation into the industrial scale. The MBBR-MBR treatment also showed lower environmental impacts than the CAS process in the life cycle assessment (LCA) study, especially in the category of climate change, thanks to the avoidance of using extra decolorizing agent, a synthetic product based on a triamine. This study is co-funded by ACCIÓ (Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain) within the REGIREU Project (COMRDI16-1-0062). The preliminary results of this study were presented at the II International Congress on Water and Sustainability, 24–26 March 2021, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain. This work was selected by the scientific committee to assume the article processing charges (APC) of publishing it in an open access journal. Peer Reviewed Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i Sanejament Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructura

Concerns regarding the overconsumption of natural resources has provoked the recovery of biopolymers from food processing biomass. Furthermore, the current market opportunity for pectin in other areas has increased, necessitating the search for alternative pectin resources. This is also a step towards the sustainable and circular green economy. Mango peel is the byproduct of agro-processing and has been used for high value-added components such as polysaccharide biopolymers. Pectin derived from the peel is yet to be exploited to its greatest extent, particularly in terms of its separation and physiochemical properties, which limit its applicability to dietary fiber in culinary applications. The functionality of the mango peel pectin (MPP) strongly depends on the molecular size and degree of esterification which highlight the importance of isolation and characterisation of pectin from this novel resource. This article therefore provides a useful overview of mango peel as a potential biomaterial for the recovery of MPP. Different extraction techniques and the integrated recovery were also discussed. The utilisation of MPP in different industrial schemes are also detailed out from different perspectives such as the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. This review convincingly expresses the significance of MPP, providing a sustainable opportunity for food and pharmaceutical development.

It is widely accepted that plastic waste is one of the most urgent environmental concerns the world is currently facing. The emergence of bio-based plastics provides an opportunity to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and transition to a more circular plastics economy. For polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most prevalent plastics in packaging and textiles, two bio-based alternatives exist that are similar or superior in terms of material properties and recyclability. These are polyethylene furanoate (PEF) and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). The overarching aim of this study was to examine the transition from fossil-based to renewable plastics, through the lens of PET upcycling into PEF and PTT. The process for the production of PEF and PTT from three waste feed streams was developed in the SuperPro Designer software and the economic viability assessed via a discounted cumulative cash flow (DCCF) analysis. A techno-economic analysis of the designed process revealed that the minimum selling price (MSP) of second generation-derived PEF and PTT is 3.13 USD/kg, and that utilities and the feedstock used for the production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) needed in PEF synthesis contributed the most to the process operating costs. The effect of recycling PEF and PTT through the process at three recycling rates (42%, 50% and 55%) was investigated and it was revealed that increased recycling could reduce the MSP of the 2G bio-plastics (by 48.5%) to 1.61 USD/kg. This demonstrates that the plastic biorefinery, together with increasing recycling rates, would have a beneficial effect on the economic viability of upcycled plastics.

Wine production annually generates an estimated 11 million metric tonnes of grape marc (GM) worldwide. The diversion of this organic waste away from landfill and towards its use in the generation of renewable energy has been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of operational parameters relating to the treatment regime and inoculum source in the extraction of methane from GM under unmixed anaerobic conditions at 35 °C. The study entailed the recirculation of a previously acclimated sludge (120 days) as downstream inoculum, an increased loading volume (1.3 kg) and a low substrate-to-inoculum ratio (10:3 SIR). The results showed that an incorporation of accessible operational controls can effectively enhance cumulative methane yield (0.145 m3 CH4 kg−1 VS), corresponding to higher amounts of digestible organics converted. The calculated average volumetric methane productivity equalled 0.8802 L CH4 LWork−1 d−1 over 33.6 days whilst moderate pollutant removal (43.50% COD removal efficiency) was achieved. Molecular analyses identified Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla as core organisms for hydrolytic and fermentative stages in trophic relationships with terminal electron acceptors from the methane-producing Methanosarcina genus. Economic projections established that the cost-effective operational enhancements were sustainable for valorisation from grape marc by existing wineries and distilleries.

The current review investigates how whitefish quality is affected by capture at sea, on board handling, freezing, double freezing, frozen storage, thawing, and chilled storage. Packaging of fillets in MAP and vacuum are also covered. The main goal was to evaluate the freeze-chilling concept as a possible method for the fishing industry for all-year-round marketing of fish captured during the relatively short fishing period. The review covers both the effect of each processing step in the supply chain as well as the combined effect of all steps in the chain from sea to consumer, including post-thawing chilled storage, defined as the freeze-chilling method.

Utilization of local-based waste materials can be a challenge due to the resource’s limitations. This study investigated the utilization of rubber tree bark (RTB) as a reductant for mill scale. RTB was blended with coal into five ratios, namely RTB#1–RTB#5. The blends were heated at 1000 °C under argon for 1 h. The char was mixed with scale to produce a carbon-mill scale composite pellet (CCP) with a 1.5 C/O molar ratio. The reduction of CCP was carried out in a tube furnace at 1550 °C for 30 min under argon flowing at 1 L/min. The reduced Fe droplets separate clearly from the residues. The CCP produced from blends RTB#1–RTB#5 shows better reduction with metal of 35.28–39.82 wt.%. The degree of metallization (DOM) ranges between 75.25–84.51%, which is two times higher than that of coal. RTB#3 shows the optimum condition with the highest DOM. CaO in RTB plays a role in forming an ash layer on the metal surface and reacting with Fe2O3 to form a new phase. Utilization of our local-based biomass, such as RTB as a reductant for mill scale, is possible. The consumption of fossil fuel in the process could be decreased by 30%, thus also the production cost.

Microcapsule electrophoretic display (MED) is a kind of display with the properties of reflectivity and low power consumption. It is widely used in electronic book readers, but some new applications have appeared in the Internet of Things (IoT) products. Long working time is required in IoT products because it is not easy to replace or install such displays. The main failure phenomenon is the mura that will appear after about 1 to 2 years of use. The root cause of the failure is analyzed, and the lifetime prediction models for MED are introduced. The high temperature and high humidity (HTHH) test is used to evaluate the protective effect of the packaging structure. The HTHH test result is reported for the new MED structure, it shows that the MED with the new structure involves a longer working time.

According to the Food Wastage Footprint and Climate Change Report, about 15% of all fruits and 25% of all vegetables are wasted at the base of the food production chain. The significant losses and wastes in the fresh and processing industries is becoming a serious environmental issue, mainly due to the microbial degradation impacts. There has been a recent surge in research and innovation related to food, packaging, and pharmaceutical applications to address these problems. The underutilized wastes (seed, skin, rind, and pomace) potentially present good sources of valuable bioactive compounds, including functional nutrients, amylopectin, phytochemicals, vitamins, enzymes, dietary fibers, and oils. Fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW) are rich in nutrients and extra nutritional compounds that contribute to the development of animal feed, bioactive ingredients, and ethanol production. In the development of active packaging films, pectin and other biopolymers are commonly used. In addition, the most recent research studies dealing with FVW have enhanced the physical, mechanical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of packaging and biocomposite systems. Innovative technologies that can be used for sensitive bioactive compound extraction and fortification will be crucial in valorizing FVW completely; thus, this article aims to report the progress made in terms of the valorization of FVW and to emphasize the applications of FVW in active packaging and biocomposites, their by-products, and the innovative technologies (both thermal and non-thermal) that can be used for bioactive compounds extraction.

The overdependence on fossils as the primary energy source has led to climate change, global warming, and the emission of greenhouse gas. As a result, the United Nations, while setting the goals for the year 2030, has made the provision of a green environment and energy one of the top priorities. In this study, the suitability of corncob for green energy production was investigated. The improvement of corncob’s thermal and combustion properties via the torrefaction process was considered for solid fuel applications. The raw corncob was collected, sorted, and dried for seven days before being used for the torrefaction experiment. Different torrefaction temperatures (200, 240, and 260 °C) and residence times (20, 40, 60 min) were studied. There was no particle reduction—samples were torrefied as collected (whole corncob). The results show that torrefaction temperature and residence time affect the torrefaction products yields along with their properties. Thermal and combustion properties were improved with an increase in torrefaction temperature and residence time. The higher heating value and energy density of the torrefied corncob varied between 17.26 and 18.89 MJ/kg, and 3.23 and 5.66 GJ/m3, respectively. High torrefaction temperature and residence time lead to low solid yield, however, liquid and gas yields increase with torrefaction temperature and residence time. The solid yields varied from 27.57 to 52.23%, while the liquid and gas yields varied from 31.56 to 44.78% and 16.21 to 27.65%, respectively. The properties of corncob improve after torrefaction and are suitable for solid fuel application.

In this review, studies (n = 41) were searched in which the compounds and contents were determined for whole fig fruit, peel, leaves and pulp, the types of fig-based products were identified and their total phenols and antioxidant capacity as well as the potential uses of different extracts of fig parts were analyzed. There is a need to reduce the fruit’s environmental impacts (zero waste), and bioactive compounds from fig fruits present a high added value as functional ingredients. Focusing on fig by-products (peel, seeds, no-optimal fruits and leaves), individual compounds and/or extracts can increase the functional, nutritional and techno-functional properties of food products such as additives. A high number of phenolic compounds was found in whole fruit (n = 19), peel (n = 26), pulp (n = 24) and leaves (n = 42). Quercetin-3-O-rutioside was reported as the major individual phenolic compound in whole figs, while cyanidin-3-rutinoside, epicatechin and caftaric acid were the highest compounds in peel, pulp and leaves, respectively. A potential strategy could be the development of novel additives and/or ingredients for food industry from fig by-products. Therefore, the use and valorization of the waste material produced during fig processing should be further investigated.

Depletion in the levels of fossil fuels and increasing environmental concerns associated with the rise in consumption of conventional fuels are among the top global concerns. Finding an alternative sustainable fuel that matches the performance characteristics of diesel/petrol fuels as well as decreases the exhaust emissions has been a challenging task. After deliberate research, it is found that every alternative fuel is associated with different problems when they are used independently, thereby limiting its benefits. Scientists suggest that using different fuel blends might lead to sustainability. This article is the analysis of data obtained from the experimentation based on two different alternative fuels, Rapeseed Methyl Ester (RME)-based biodiesel and Rapeseed Oil (RO), blended with diesel (D) and Isopropanol (P) into three different proportions each. Tests were carried out in a compression ignition (CI) engine, and comparisons are based on the resulted performance and exhaust emission characteristics. The two different alternative fuels are blended into the following proportions to make six fuel mixtures, D50RME30P20, D50RME40P10, D50RME45P5, D50RO30P20, D50RO40P10 and D50RO45P5. The tests are carried out at different loads (BMEP) and are compared to that of pure diesel. Using the experimentation results, we also obtained the combustion characteristics of all fuel mixtures for further evaluation

Biodiesel is a renewable energy source which is gaining prominence as an alternative fuel over fossil diesel for different applications. Due to their higher viscosity and lower volatility, biodiesels are blended with diesel in various proportions. B20 blends are viable and sustainable solutions in diesel engines with acceptable engine performance as they can replace 20% fossil fuel usage. Biodiesel blends are slightly viscous as compared with diesel and can be used in common rail direct injection (CRDI) engines which provide high pressure injection using an electronic control unit (ECU) with fuel flexibility. In view of this, B20 blends of three biodiesels derived from cashew nutshell (CHNOB (B20)), jackfruit seed (JACKSOB (B20)), and Jamun seed (JAMNSOB (B20)) oils are used in a modified single-cylinder high-pressure-assisted CRDI diesel engine. At a BP of 5.2 kW, for JAMNSOB (B20) operation, BTE, NOx, and PP increased 4.04%, 0.56%, and 5.4%, respectively, and smoke, HC, CO, ID, and CD decreased 5.12%, 6.25%, 2.75%, 5.15%, and 6.25%, respectively, as compared with jackfruit B20 operation.

The growing interest in processes that involve biomass conversion to renewable energy, such as anaerobic digestion, has stimulated research in this field in order to assess the optimum conditions for biogas production from abundant feedstocks, like agro-industrial wastes. Anaerobic digestion is an attractive process for the decomposition of organic wastes via a complex microbial consortium and subsequent conversion of metabolic intermediates to hydrogen and methane. The present study focused on the exploitation of liquid cow manure (LCM) and cheese whey (CW) as noneasily and easily biodegradable sources, respectively, using continuous stirred-tank reactors for biogas production, and a comparison was presented between single- and two-stage anaerobic digestion systems. No significant differences were found concerning LCM treatment, in a two-stage system compared to a single one, concluding that LCM can be treated by implementing a single-stage process, as a recalcitrant substrate, with the greatest methane production rate of 0.67 L CH4/(LR·d) at an HRT of 16 d. On the other hand, using the easily biodegradable CW as a monosubstrate, the two-stage process was considered a better treatment system compared to a single one. During the single-stage process, operational problems were observed due to the limited buffering capacity of CW. However, the two-stage anaerobic digestion of CW produced a stable methane production rate of 0.68 L CH4/(LR·d) or 13.7 L CH4/Lfeed, while the total COD was removed by 76%.

Industrial processes and anthropogenic activities generate huge amounts of wastes in the form of chemicals, such as heavy metals, dyes, fertilizers, pharmaceutically active chemicals, battery effluents and so on. When these chemicals are left untreated and discarded in the ground or surface waters, they not only cause pollution and harm the ecosystem but also cause toxic effects on the health of human beings, animals and food crops. There are several methods of removal of these toxic materials from the wastewaters, and adsorption by bio-sorbents has been demonstrated as one of the most inexpensive, efficient and convenient methods. Citrus is one of the largest grown fruit crops in the tropical and subtropical regions on the planet. After processing of the fruits at food processing industries, approximately half of the fruit mass is discarded as waste, which causes a number of pollution problems. Alternately, this biomass can be converted to bio-sorbents for the removal of harmful and toxic chemicals from the industrial effluents and wastewaters. The first part of this article contains a thorough review on the biotransformation of citrus waste for the production of biofuel and valuable compounds by fermentation involving microorganisms. The second and concluding part reviews the recent progress in biotransformation of citrus waste biomass (that may be remaining post-extraction of valuable compounds/biofuel generation) into efficient adsorbent substrate materials and their adsorption capacities. The article also includes the details of the synthesis process and mechanisms of adsorption processes.

The need to produce an ever-increasing quantity of material products and food resulting from the planet globalization process has contributed to the spread of modern agriculture based on a linear production resulting in the generation of tons of waste. This huge amount of waste is generally accumulated in landfills, causing different environmental problems. Hence, researchers moved on to study the processes used to recover agro-industrial by-products within a circular and sustainable bio-economy concept. A systematic quest on Scopus and PubMed databases was performed to identify the data available to date on recycling agro-industrial by-products of Olea europaea L. This systematic review summarizes the knowledge regarding the use of olive trees by-products for producing animal feed, biocomposites, bioethanol, cellulose pulp, activated carbon, and as a fuel source for energy production. Furthermore, the data regarding the potential biological activity of extracts from olive roots, wood, bark, and pruning were analyzed. Olive trees by-products are, indeed, rich in molecules with antioxidant, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, and anticancer activity, representing a promising candidate for treat several human diseases.

Olive oil production represents an agro-industrial activity of vital economic importance for many Mediterranean countries. However, it is associated with the generation of a huge amount of by-products, both in solid and liquid forms, mainly constituted by olive mill wastewater, olive pomace, wood, leaves, and stones. Although for many years olive by-products have only been considered as a relevant environmental issue, in the last decades, numerous studies have deeply described their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, anticancer, anti-hyperglycemic activities. Therefore, the increasing interest in natural bioactive compounds represents a new challenge for olive mills. Studies have focused on optimizing methods to extract phenols from olive oil by-products for pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications and attempts have been made to describe microorganisms and metabolic activity involved in the treatment of such complex and variable by-products. However, few studies have investigated olive oil by-products in order to produce added-value ingredients and/or preservatives for food industries. This review provides an overview of the prospective of liquid olive oil by-products as a source of high nutritional value compounds to produce new functional additives or ingredients and to explore potential and future research opportunities.

Concerns over the past few decades have focused, more than ever, on finding and implementing efficient, handy, and renewable sources to reduce pollution. Biomass, in general, and biomass from annual vine cuttings, are renewable sources that can be used by a large amount of the population. Biomass densification in the form of briquettes is an efficient method of obtaining a biofuel with the same characteristics as wood. The production of densified material as a briquette consists of sampling, drying naturally, chopping, grinding and briquetting the vine cuttings. The obtained results showed that the size of the briquettes met the requirements imposed by the standard, with a length between 185 mm and 400 mm and a diameter of 58 ± 0.75 mm, the humidity of the briquettes varying between 5.42%, at Sauvignon Blanc and 7.98% for Pinot Noir, while the durability of the briquettes registered minimum values of 98.17% for Muscat Ottonel and a maximum of 99.14% for Feteasca Neagra, and a unit density with values between 1227 kg/m3 for Feteasca Alba and 1389 kg/m3 for Pinot Noir. The conclusions of these experiments are promising, showing that the densification of biomass from vines cuttings qualifies within the standard requirements for obtaining a valuable biofuel.

The quality and safety of juices are assured mainly through heat treatments and chemical preservatives. However, there is a growing trend in the food industry for lowering energy and water demands, and the chemicals and additives that may have negative effects οn human health. Following that trend, in the present study, the reduced use of chemical preservatives in orange juice is proposed by using encapsulated sodium benzoate (SB) in tubular cellulose (TC), derived from orange pulp. The effects of SB concentration and contact time on SB encapsulation were evaluated. The use of the wet impregnation method, 12% w/v SB solution and 2 h of contact proved to be ideal for application in the juice industry. The use of starch gel resulted in a more stable composite (TC/SB-SG) with a slower SB delivery, showing its potential for future controlled delivery applications. Furthermore, similar delivery rates of SB in juice were noted at 25 and 2 °C. The TC/SB-SG proved capable of inhibiting the growth and reducing the numbers of spoilage microorganisms (yeasts and lactic acid bacteria). The results of the present study are promising for potential applications; however, more research is needed in order to evaluate the controlled delivery of SB in juice.

The world is currently faced with the depletion of fossil fuel energy sources and their use is associated with environmental pollution. This has triggered the need to seek alternative energy sources that are renewable, sustainable and environmentally benign. Biodiesel, an alternative fuel of interest, is obtainable from biomass feedstocks. In existing biodiesel fuel, there are concerns that it is a contaminant due to its elemental contents, which over time also affect its quality. This study aimed to investigate the influence of a bifunctional catalyst on the conversion of free fatty acids and the elemental composition of biodiesel obtained from waste oils of sunflower and palm feedstocks. The synthesised catalyst was characterised using BET, XRD, FTIR and SEM while ICP-OES and Rancimat were used for elemental contents and oxidation in feedstocks and biodiesels. The effect of Cu, Zn and Fe metals on the stability of synthesised biodiesel was further studied. The catalyst showed characteristics of bifunctionality with improved textural properties necessary for the conversion of high free fatty acids feedstocks to biodiesel, despite increasing Ca content within the produced biodiesel. Sunflower biodiesel showed superior fuel quality, although palm biodiesel had more oxidation stability. An increase in the concentration of metals decreased the induction period, with Cu and Fe being more effective than Zn metal.

Thermal treatment is the most popular decontamination technique used in the dairy industry to ensure food protection and prolong shelf life. But it also causes nutrient and aroma degradation, non-enzymatic browning, and organoleptic changes of dairy products. Non-thermal solutions, on the other hand, have been extensively explored in a response to rising market demand for more sustainable and safe goods. For a long time, the use of ultraviolet (UV) light in the food industry has held great promise. Irradiation with shortwave UV light has excellent germicidal properties, which can destroy a variety of microbial pathogens (for example bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, and viruses), at low maintenance and installation costs with minimal use of energy to preserve food without undesirable effects of heat treatment. The purpose of this review is to update the studies made on the possibilities of UV-C radiation while also addressing the essential processing factors involved in the disinfection. It also sheds light on the promise of UV light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) as a microbial inactivation alternative to conventional UV lamps.

Allergy assessments and penicillin skin testing have emerged as a vital intervention for Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs). Investment and involvement in such programs by ASPs, however, are often limited due to resources, time, and personnel constraints. Harnessing an underutilized resource, 4th-year advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) students, allows for expanded ASP involvement and scope of practice. We aim to outline and provide insight on how 4th-year APPE students serve as an asset to an ASP. Through our novel longitudinal rotation experience, APPE students complete penicillin allergy assessments, patient education, and work alongside a clinical pharmacist to refer patients for penicillin skin testing if appropriate. Students also achieve many of the education standards required by the Accreditation Counsel for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) for graduation within the Doctor of Pharmacy degree while developing a strong foundation in antimicrobial stewardship and gaining invaluable knowledge for their future. The addition of APPE pharmacy students to our ASP has also enabled our program to achieve its goals and expand involvement and reach within our facility.

With the vigorous development of the 5G industry, the characteristic hazardous waste, spent coppery etchant, was also produced in large quantities. In recent years, there are many companies that have begun to collect spent coppery etchant for the purpose of producing recycled products, such as copper sulfate, copper oxide, basic copper chloride, and copper powder, which often contain large amounts of heavy metals. However, due to the lack of relevant standards and applicable regulatory measures, some of the recycled products flow to the feed processing industry and even to the food processing industry. This study investigated the pollution status of heavy metals in recycled products of spent coppery etchant and evaluated the impact of recycled products exposure on human health. The results showed that the content of Zn was the highest, which was 21 times higher than the corresponding standard limit. Human health risk assessment indicated that the hazard quotients of As account for 87.5% of the entire HI value, while the average carcinogenic risk values of As for copper sulfate, copper oxide, basic copper chloride, and copper powder are 1.09 × 10−5, 3.19 × 10−5, 1.29 × 10−5, 7.94 × 10−6, respectively. Meanwhile, suggestions on the supervision of recycled products and the concentration limits of heavy metals in recycled products were put forward.

Iron-based industries are one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Partial substitution of fossil carbon with renewable biocarbon (biomass) into the blast furnace (BF) process can be a sustainable approach to mitigating GHG emissions from the ironmaking process. However, the main barriers of using biomass for this purpose are the inherent high alkaline and phosphorous contents in ash, resulting in fouling, slagging, and scaling on the BF surface. Furthermore, the carbon content of the biomass is considerably lower than coal. To address these barriers, this research proposed an innovative approach of combining two thermochemical conversion methods, namely hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and slow pyrolysis, for converting biomass into suitable biocarbon for the ironmaking process. Miscanthus, which is one of the most abundant herbaceous biomass sources, was first treated by HTC to obtain the lowest possible ash content mainly due to reduction in alkali matter and phosphorous contents, and then subjected to slow pyrolysis to increase the carbon content. Design expert 11 was used to plan the number of the required experiments and to find the optimal condition for HTC and pyrolysis steps. It was found that the biocarbon obtained from HTC at 199 °C for 28 min and consecutively pyrolyzed at 400 °C for 30 min showed similar properties to pulverized coal injection (PCI) which is currently used in BFs due to its low ash content (0.19%) and high carbon content (79.67%).

Countries globally are focusing on alternative fuels to reduce the environmental pollution. An example is biodiesel fuel, which is leading the way to other technologies. In this research, the methyl esters of castor oil were prepared using a two-step transesterification process. The respective properties of the castor oil (Ricinus Communis) biodiesel were estimated using ASTM standards. The effect of performance and emission on diesel engines was noted for four various engine loads (25, 50, 75, and 100%), with two different blends (B5 and B20) and at two different engine speeds (1500 and 2000 rpm). The study determined that B5 and B20 samples at 1500 rpm engine speed obtained the same power, but diesel fuel generated greater control. The power increased at 2000 rpm for B5 samples, but B20 samples, as well as diesel, were almost the same values. In the 40–80% range, load and load values were entirely parallel for each load observed from the engine performance of the brake power in all samples.

In the process of extracting hard coal, extensive databases are created on its quality parameters. A statistical assessment was made of the ash, sulfur, and mercury content of commercial coals produced in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB). The statistical methods applied: non-parametric tests of compatibility for two populations, parametric significance tests, and non-parametric tests of compatibility for the three populations, showed that the distributions of ash and sulfur content in 2014 and 2015 are comparable and the average values are similar. Statistical tests indicated significant differences in the mercury content distributions and their variances. This demonstrates the need for ongoing monitoring of mercury content in commercial coals, as a prediction of mercury content from historical data is hardly possible.

A combination of room cooling and the use of thermal insulation materials to maintain okra quality under simulated storage and transportation was evaluated. Okra pods were packed in plastic baskets and either cooled at 18 °C or not cooled in a room for 2 h. After either room cooling or no cooling, the okra pods were covered with three different materials: (1) perforated linear low-density polyethylene (P-LLDPE), (2) two layers of heat-reflective sheet with thin nonwoven (HRS+TNNW), and (3) metalized foam sheet (MFS). Typical handling (TP) without cooling and covering with P-LLDPE was used as the control. The six treatments were conducted during simulated storage (18 °C for 48 h) and transportation (30 °C for 15 h). Results showed that MFS gave the best insulation properties (Qx and R-values), followed by HRS and TNNW. After room cooling, both HRS+TNNW and MFS materials delayed the time for pulp temperature to reach 18 °C (10 h), compared to P-LLDPE (2 h). TP presented the highest mass loss (17.8%) throughout simulated conditions, followed by cooling plus P-LLDPE (15.2%) and either of the thermal insulation materials with or without room cooling (3.6% to 5.2%), respectively. TP, cooling plus P-LLDPE, and no cooling plus MFS (44% to 56%) showed the highest percentage of decay, while cooling combined with both HRS+TNNW and MFS gave the lowest decay incidence (11–21%). Findings demonstrated that room cooling combined with HRS+TNNW had the highest efficiency for preserving cool temperature and reducing decay, compared to TP and room cooling plus MFS.

Natural dyes have been used from ancient times for multiple purposes, most importantly in the field of textile dying. The increasing demand and excessive costs of natural dye extraction engendered the discovery of synthetic dyes from petrochemical compounds. Nowadays, they are dominating the textile market, with nearly 8 × 105 tons produced per year due to their wide range of color pigments and consistent coloration. Textile industries consume huge amounts of water in the dyeing processes, making it hard to treat the enormous quantities of this hazardous wastewater. Thus, they have harmful impacts when discharged in non-treated or partially treated forms in the environment (air, soil, plants and water), causing several human diseases. In the present work we focused on synthetic dyes. We started by studying their classification which depended on the nature of the manufactured fiber (cellulose, protein and synthetic fiber dyes). Then, we mentioned the characteristics of synthetic dyes, however, we focused more on their negative impacts on the ecosystem (soil, plants, water and air) and on humans. Lastly, we discussed the applied physical, chemical and biological strategies solely or in combination for textile dye wastewater treatments. Additionally, we described the newly established nanotechnology which achieves complete discharge decontamination.

The purpose of this study was to examine how gold kiwifruit pericarp (pericarp is defined as the skin of the fruit) consumption and the timing thereof affect the postprandial blood glucose profile. The study was conducted on twelve healthy volunteers (six men and six women). According to our results, the simultaneous intake of gold kiwifruit with bread and the prior intake of gold kiwifruit evidently suppressed the postprandial blood glucose elevation compared with exclusive bread intake. There was no significant difference in postprandial blood glucose changes between the ingestion of gold kiwifruit pericarp and pulp and that of gold kiwifruit pulp only. The highest postprandial blood glucose elevation was suppressed by 27.6% and the area under the blood glucose elevation curve by 29.3%, even with the exclusive ingestion of gold kiwifruit pulp. We predicted that the ingestion of both the pericarp and pulp of gold kiwifruit would reduce the postprandial blood glucose elevation to a greater extent than that of gold kiwifruit pulp only; however, there was no significant difference between the two. These results indicate that gold kiwifruit consumption significantly suppresses the postprandial blood glucose elevation regardless of pericarp presence or absence and the timing of ingestion., Article number: 2103 This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is among the most common conditions leading to intellectual disability, which can be prevented by early detection through newborn screening (NBS). In Mongolia, a regional screening program for CH was launched in 2000, which was supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Asia Pacific Region. In our present study, a total of 23,002 newborns from nine districts in Ulaanbaatar were screened between 2012 and 2020, by the measurement of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from dried blood spots, sampled 24 to 72 h after birth. The level of TSH was measured by the DELFIA assay. The overall CH prevalence confirmed at birth was 1/2091. The female-to-male ratio for CH cases was 1.8:1. The majority of patients were asymptomatic (72.7% of CH cases), umbilical hernia and cold or mottled skin were reported symptoms in patients with CH (27.3%). Thyroid dysgenesis (hypoplasia and agenesis) was the most common etiology, with a total of nine cases (81.8%) out of the eleven patients. The lapse between the birth date and the initiation of L-thyroxine treatment in CH-positive children was lower than 15 days in 63.64% of cases or 15 to 30 days in 36.36% of children. Further research is required to expand the screening coverage for CH in Mongolia.

The art of tattooing is a popular decorative approach for body decoration and has a corrective value for the face. The tattooing procedure is characterized by placing exogenous pigments into the dermis with a number of needles. The process of creating traditional and cosmetic tattoos is the same. Colorants are deposited in the dermis by piercing the skin with needles of specific shape and thickness, which are moistened with the colorant. Colorants (pigments or dyes) most of the time include impurities which may cause adverse reactions. It is commonly known that tattoo inks remain in the skin for lifetime. It is also a fact that the chemicals that are used in permanent makeup (PMU) colorants may stay in the body for a long time so there is a significant long-term risk for harmful ingredients being placed in the body. Tattoo and PMU colorants contain various substances and their main ingredients and decomposition components may cause health risks and unwanted side effects to skin.

The chemical composition of hop sediments from beer brewing and fermentation gives them the potential for further use. These wastes are not generated in large amounts, but the absence of proper characteristics may lead to processing errors. This study examines the possibility of using hop waste for aerobic biological transformation processes (composting). The study was carried out on two hop sediments from two different technological stages of beer production: hot trub and spent hops. Chemical, microbiological, and biochemical analyses were performed in the composted hop sediments, as was the assessment of phytotoxicity to Lepidium sativum L. The tested feedstocks were partially inhabited by microorganisms and thus safe from an epidemiological point of view, and they were not a source of microbial contamination. Inhibitory properties for plant development were found for hot trub, which most likely result from the organic compound content. If it is only a small portion of its biomass, the mineral composition of hot trub does not exclude the possibility of its composting. Spent hops were characterized by a significant total nitrogen content, which affected the composting process. Composting this sediment required the selection of substrates with a widely C:N ratio.

Temporary pavilions play an important role as experimental fields for architects, designers, and engineers, in addition to providing exhibition spaces. Novel structural and formal solutions applied in pavilions also can give them an unusual appearance that attracts the eyesight of spectators. In this article, the authors explore the possibility of combining structural novelty, visual attractiveness, and low cost in the design and construction of a temporary pavilion. For that purpose, an innovative structural system and design approach was applied, i.e., a membrane structure was designed in Rhino and Grasshopper environments with the use of the Kiwi!3D IsoGeometric analysis tool. The designed pavilion, named Obverse/Reverse, was built in Opole, Poland, for the occasion of World Architecture Day in July 2019. The design and the construction were performed by the authors in cooperation with students belonging to the Humanization of Urban Environment organization from the Faculty of Architecture Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. The resultant pavilion proved the potential of obtaining a low-budget but visually attractive architectural solution with the adaption of parametrical design tools and some scientific background with innovative structural systems.

The article examines Israel’s experience in managing the COVID-19 vaccination program beginning in December 2020. Utilizing principles of mass casualty event management, such as triaging, flow of casualty care, and flexibility (among others), we analyze Israel’s vaccination program. The successful Israeli experience was found to be based on timely coordinated and adaptive health system logistics and operations, as well as cooperative population behaviors.