Search

Textiles are composed of different types of fibers; thus, different processes for end-of-life recovery are currently applied. After collection, a prior sorting process is essential to classify the textiles and assess their quality in order to ensure that the best available technology is selected, with mechanical recycling being the most widespread and mature. Nevertheless, it still has important limitations as it is not suitable for the treatment of all fibers, especially those of non-organic origin and blends. On the other hand, chemical recycling appears to be a necessary technology to valorize the fibers that cannot be reused or mechanically recycled and to avoid landfilling. This article aims to provide an overview of the available technologies in the field of textile waste recycling, including collection, pretreatment, and mechanical and chemical recycling processes. Each technology is described identifying pros and cons, and a techno-economical assessment is presented including technology readiness levels (TRLs), investments, and costs. European and Spanish regulations and policies on textile waste are analyzed to identify the trends and directions the sector is moving towards.

Abstract Background The evolution of social cooperation is favored by aggregative behavior to facilitate stable social structure and proximity among kin. High dispersal rates reduce group stability and kin cohesion, so it is generally assumed that there is a fundamental trade-off between cooperation and dispersal. However, empirical tests of this relationship are rare. We tested this assumption experimentally using ten genetically isolated strains of a ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Results The propensity for social aggregation was greater in strains with reduced cell quality and lower growth performance. While we found a trade-off between costly aggregation and local dispersal in phenotypic analyses, aggregative strains showed a dispersal polymorphism by producing either highly sedentary or long-distance dispersive cells, in contrast to less aggregative strains whose cells were monomorphic local dispersers. Conclusion High dispersal among aggregative strains may not destroy group stability in T. thermophila because the dispersal polymorphism allows social strains to more readily escape kin groups than less aggregative strains, yet still benefit from stable group membership among sedentary morphs. Such dispersal polymorphisms should be common in other social organisms, serving to alter the nature of the negative impact of dispersal on social evolution.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are a source of both hazardous and valuable materials that must be segregated for treatment. Previous studies addressing the use of handheld X-Ray fluorescence (h-XRF) as a sorting tool for WEEE plastics through the identification of hazardous components include plastics from mixed WEEE streams, processed material (shredded or treated plastics) and low number of samples not allowing to consider their findings for application on an industrial scale. Thus, further research is needed to establish scalable robust methods for sorting this material. We describe a study carried out on whole flat panel display equipment (FPD) plastic casings using h-XRF for the detection of total bromine (Br) and antimony (Sb) as tracers for Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) and Sb2O3 additives. The aim being to characterize the targeted material and to define the optimal analysis conditions to meet large scale throughputs. A ring trial exercise comprising 100 samples was conducted to evaluate the validity of the measurements. Results indicate that: 1) the use of h-XRF under the conditions determined in this study offers a valid technique to screen total Br and Sb in whole FPD casings at industrial scale with low uncertainty, 2) Br and Sb are found to be homogeneously distributed within the casing, 3) an optimal h-XRF analysis time of 10 seconds is suitable from both accuracy and practical implementation for LOD

Abstract Studies of parasites in wild animal populations often rely on molecular methods to both detect and quantify infections. However, method accuracy is likely to be influenced by the sampling approach taken prior to nucleic acid extraction. Avian Haemosporidia are studied primarily through the screening of host blood, and a range of storage mediums are available for the short‐ to long‐term preservation of samples. Previous research has suggested that storage medium choice may impact the accuracy of PCR‐based parasite detection, however, this relationship has never been explicitly tested and may be exacerbated by the duration of sample storage. These considerations could also be especially critical for sensitive molecular methods used to quantify infection (qPCR). To test the effect of storage medium and duration on Plasmodium detection and quantification, we split blood samples collected from wild birds across three medium types (filter paper, Queen's lysis buffer, and 96% ethanol) and carried out DNA extractions at five time points (1, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months post‐sampling). First, we found variation in DNA yield obtained from blood samples dependent on their storage medium which had subsequent negative impacts on both detection and estimates of Plasmodium copy number. Second, we found that detection accuracy (incidence of true positives) was highest for filter‐paper‐stored samples (97%), while accuracy for ethanol and Queen's lysis buffer‐stored samples was influenced by either storage duration or extraction yield, respectively. Lastly, longer storage durations were associated with decreased copy number estimates across all storage mediums; equating to a 58% reduction between the first‐ and third‐year post‐sampling for lysis‐stored samples. These results raise questions regarding the utility of standardizing samples by dilution, while also illustrating the critical importance of considering storage approaches in studies of Haemosporidia comparing samples subjected to different storage regimes and/or stored for varying lengths of time.

Countries with emerging legislation on the waste electrical and electric equipment (WEEE), but limited infrastructure, may find in other, more robust, systems the tools to develop adaptable and socioeconomically viable management schemes. Additives found in the plastics in electronic goods, such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs), are components of a safety system, but introduce characteristics that result in their waste being hazardous. Established and emerging regulatory systems need to implement legislation that impacts the management of WEEE, to reduce risks to human health and the environment, while maximising opportunities for resource recovery from widely varying materials. To assess the context of developed and emerging regulatory systems, a baseline study was undertaken of WEEE plastics in Scotland and Uruguay. For the identification of BFRs in plastics, an internationally validated screening methodology using X-ray fluorescence was adopted at different processing operations. It was observed that, using a threshold of 830 mg/kg for Br as a BFR tracer, in Scotland, more than 70% of the plastics would be recyclable, while, in Uruguay, that fraction dropped to 50%. These results, and the wider literature discussion, highlight the impact that regulatory frameworks have on the quality and recyclability of recovered material. We identify future actions to be considered by policy-makers for a more sustainable regulatory approach.

Identification of tumors harboring an overall active immune phenotype may help for selecting patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who may benefit from immunotherapies. In this context, we generated targeted gene expression profiles in three and two independent cohorts of patients with HNSCC or NSCLC respectively, treated or not by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Notably, we generated two datasets including 102 and 82 patients with HNSCC or NSCLC treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Clinical information, including detailed survival raw data, is available for each patient, allowing to test association between gene expression data and patient survival (overall and progression-free survival). Moreover, we also generated gene expression datasets of 27 paired HNSCC samples from diagnostic biopsies and versus surgically resected specimens as well as 33 paired HNSCC samples at initial diagnosis (untreated) and at recurrence. Those datasets may allow to test the stability of a given biomarker across paired samples.

BackgroundThe continued occurrence of more contagious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants and waning immunity over time require ongoing reevaluation of the vaccine effectiveness (VE). This study aimed to estimate the effectiveness in 2 age groups (12 to 59 and 60 years or above) of 2 or 3 vaccine doses (BNT162b2 mRNA or mRNA-1273) by time since vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalization in an Alpha-, Delta-, or Omicron-dominated period.Methods and findingsA Danish nationwide cohort study design was used to estimate VE against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 hospitalization with the Alpha, Delta, or Omicron variant. Information was obtained from nationwide registries and linked using a unique personal identification number. The study included all previously uninfected residents in Denmark aged 12 years or above (18 years or above for the analysis of 3 doses) in the Alpha (February 20 to June 15, 2021), Delta (July 4 to November 20, 2021), and Omicron (December 21, 2021 to January 31, 2022) dominated periods. VE estimates including 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated (1-hazard ratio∙100) using Cox proportional hazard regression models with underlying calendar time and adjustments for age, sex, comorbidity, and geographical region. Vaccination status was included as a time-varying exposure. In the oldest age group, VE against infection after 2 doses was 90.7% (95% CI: 88.2; 92.7) for the Alpha variant, 82.3% (95% CI: 75.5; 87.2) for the Delta variant, and 39.9% (95% CI: 26.3; 50.9) for the Omicron variant 14 to 30 days since vaccination. The VE waned over time and was 73.2% (Alpha, 95% CI: 57.1; 83.3), 50.0% (Delta, 95% CI: 46.7; 53.0), and 4.4% (Omicron, 95% CI: -0.1; 8.7) >120 days since vaccination. Higher estimates were observed after the third dose with VE estimates against infection of 86.1% (Delta, 95% CI: 83.3; 88.4) and 57.7% (Omicron, 95% CI: 55.9; 59.5) 14 to 30 days since vaccination. Among both age groups, VE against COVID-19 hospitalization 14 to 30 days since vaccination with 2 or 3 doses was 98.1% or above for the Alpha and Delta variants. Among both age groups, VE against COVID-19 hospitalization 14 to 30 days since vaccination with 2 or 3 doses was 95.5% or above for the Omicron variant. The main limitation of this study is the nonrandomized study design including potential differences between the unvaccinated (reference group) and vaccinated individuals.ConclusionsTwo vaccine doses provided high protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 hospitalization with the Alpha and Delta variants with protection, notably against infection, waning over time. Two vaccine doses provided only limited and short-lived protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection with Omicron. However, the protection against COVID-19 hospitalization following Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection was higher. The third vaccine dose substantially increased the level and duration of protection against infection with the Omicron variant and provided a high level of sustained protection against COVID-19 hospitalization among the +60-year-olds.

Textiles are composed of different types of fibers; thus, different processes for end-of-life recovery are currently applied. After collection, a prior sorting process is essential to classify the textiles and assess their quality in order to ensure that the best available technology is selected, with mechanical recycling being the most widespread and mature. Nevertheless, it still has important limitations as it is not suitable for the treatment of all fibers, especially those of non-organic origin and blends. On the other hand, chemical recycling appears to be a necessary technology to valorize the fibers that cannot be reused or mechanically recycled and to avoid landfilling. This article aims to provide an overview of the available technologies in the field of textile waste recycling, including collection, pretreatment, and mechanical and chemical recycling processes. Each technology is described identifying pros and cons, and a techno-economical assessment is presented including technology readiness levels (TRLs), investments, and costs. European and Spanish regulations and policies on textile waste are analyzed to identify the trends and directions the sector is moving towards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple signals should be favoured when the benefit of additional signals outweigh their costs. Despite increased attention on multiple-signalling systems, few studies have focused on signal architecture to understand the potential information content of multiple signals. To understand the patterns of signal plasticity and consistency over the lifetime of individuals we conducted a longitudinal study of multiple signals known to be under sexual selection in male lark buntings, Calamospiza melanocorys. Within years, we found extensive among-individual variation in all four plumage ornaments we measured. Surprisingly, there were few correlations among these signals, suggesting that individuals contain a mosaic of signals. Signals were only moderately repeatable across years, which indicates some signal plasticity or age related change. In some years, the direction of change in particular signals relative to the previous year was consistent for most individuals in the population, suggesting that broad scale ecological factors affected the ornament phenotype. Different ornaments were affected by different ecological or social factors because the population-wide shift in a given signal was independent of change in other signals. Our combined results suggest that different signals-including different components of the same color patch in some cases-provide diverse and independent information about the individual to signal receivers in the context of sexual selection.

The discovery that extrapair copulation (EPC) and extrapair paternity (EPP) are common in birds led to a paradigm shift in our understanding of the evolution of mating systems. The prevalence of extrapair matings in pair-bonded species sets the stage for sexual conflict, and a recent focus has been to consider how this conflict can shape variation in extrapair mating rates. Here, we invert the causal arrow and consider the consequences of extrapair matings for sexual conflict. Extrapair matings shift sexual conflict from a simple two-player (male vs. female) game to a game with three or more players, the nature of which we illustrate with simple diagrams that highlight the net costs and benefits of extrapair matings to each player. This approach helps identify the sorts of traits that might be under selection because of sexual conflict. Whether EPP is driven primarily by the extrapair male or the within-pair female profoundly influences which players are in conflict, but the overall pattern of conflict varies little among different mating systems. Different aspects of conflict are manifest at different stages of the breeding cycle and can be profitably considered as distinct episodes of selection caused by conflict. This perspective is illuminating both because conflict between specific players can change across episodes and because the traits that evolve to mediate conflict likely differ between episodes. Although EPP clearly leads to sexual conflict, we suggest that the link between sexual conflict and multiple paternity might be usefully understood by examining how deviations from lifetime sexual monogamy influence sexual conflict.