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The study assesses the feasibility of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) projects as an alternative to traditional landfilling for solid waste management in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines. Waste analysis from 11 NCR cities reveals an average processing fee of 1,610.00 Pesos per ton for WTE, three times higher than landfilling costs. Despite this cost disparity, implementing WTE projects could offer significant land savings, crucial in densely populated areas like the NCR. Preliminary designs of WTE power plants provide estimates for construction and operational expenses, aiding in cost-benefit analyses. The findings highlight the urgent need to address the economic challenges associated with WTE, possibly through policy interventions such as subsidies or incentives. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the potential of WTE projects in addressing solid waste management issues in urban areas. However, overcoming the cost disparity between WTE and landfilling remains a critical barrier to widespread adoption. Future efforts should focus on developing strategies to make WTE economically competitive while leveraging its potential benefits in land conservation and sustainable energy production.

A meta-analytic approach deciphered the taxonomic profile of the zebrafish gut microbiota at different developmental stages. Data (16S rDNA) were systematically searched in databases, selecting those with intestine samples of fish not exposed to a particular treatment or challenge (e.g., pathogens, dietetic tests, xenobiotics, etc.) and obtaining 340 samples to be processed. Results revealed marked differences between the developmental phases. Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in the larval phase, with a relative abundance of 90%, while the rest of the phyla did not exceed 2%. Vibrio, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, Pseudomonas, Shewanella, and Acinetobacter were the dominant genera in this phase. Transitional changes were observed after the larvae stage. Proteobacteria still registered high abundance (48%) in the juvenile phase, but Fusobacteria (40%) and Bacteriodota (5.9%) registered considerable increases. Genera, including Cetobacterium, Plesiomonas, Aeromonas, Vibrio, and Flavobacterium, dominated this stage. The phyla Proteobacteria (48%) and Fusobacteria (35%) were strongly established in the adult phase. Cetobacterium was registered as the most abundant genus, followed by Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Plesiomonas, Vibrio, and ZOR0006 (Firmicutes; 6%). In conclusion, the composition of the intestinal microbiota of zebrafish is consistently determined by two primary phyla, Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria; however, this composition varies depending on the developmental stage. Cetobacterium and Aeromonas are the most relevant genera in juveniles and adults. Finally, these results reveal a consistent pattern of certain bacterial groups in the zebrafish microbiota that could help shape gnotobiotic models (colonized with a specific known bacterial community) or synthetic microbiota (in vitro assembly of microbes), among other approaches., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This study aims to investigate if a mixture of functional lipids (FLs), containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), tocopherols (TPs), and phytosterols (PSs), prevents some lipid alterations induced by high-fat (HF) diets, without adverse effects., Methods: Male CF1 mice (n = 6/group) were fed (4 weeks) with control (C), HF, or HF + FL diets., Results: FL prevented the overweight induced by the HF diet and reduced the adipose tissue (AT) weight, associated with lower energy efficiency. After the intervention period, the serum triacylglycerol (TAG) levels in both HF diets underwent a decrease associated with an enhanced LPL activity (mainly in muscle). The beneficial effect of the FL mixture on body weight gain and AT weight might be attributed to the decreased lipogenesis, denoted by the lower mRNA levels of SREBP1-c and ACC in AT, as well as by an exacerbated lipid catabolism, reflected by increased mRNA levels of PPARα, ATGL, HSL, and UCP2 in AT. Liver TAG levels were reduced in the HF + FL group due to an elevated lipid oxidation associated with a higher CPT-1 activity and mRNA levels of PPARα and CPT-1a. Moreover, genes linked to fatty acid biosynthesis (SREBP1-c and ACC) showed decreased mRNA levels in both HF diets, this finding being more pronounced in the HF + FL group., Conclusion: The administration of an FL mixture (CLA + TP + PS) prevented some lipid alterations induced by a HF diet, avoiding frequent deleterious effects of CLA in mice through the modulation of gene expression related to the regulation of lipid metabolism., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)