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This paper presents a method for obtaining cobalt(II) perrhenate from waste derived from two types of materials, i.e., Li-ion battery scrap, or more precisely, battery mass, and superalloy scrap. Both of the above-mentioned materials are a source of Co. However, a source of rhenium is perrhenic acid produced from ammonium perrhenate (recycled) by the ion exchange method using resins. Co(OH)2 can be precipitated from solutions resulting from the leaching of Li-ion battery mass, sludge from the Zn-Pb industry and superalloy scrap. The compound, after proper purification, can be used in a reaction with perrhenic acid to form Co(ReO4)2. The reaction should be conducted under the following conditions: time 1 h, room temperature, 30% excess of cobalt(II) hydroxide, and rhenium concentration in HReO4 from about 20 g/dm3 to 300 g/dm3. This work shows that with the use of Co(OH)2, obtained from waste, an anhydrous form of cobalt(II) perrhenate can be obtained, containing < 1000 ppm of the cumulative metal impurities.

Abstract Background Binge alcohol drinking is a risk factor linked to numerous disease states including alcohol use disorder (AUD). While men binge drink more alcohol than women, this demographic gap is quickly shrinking, and preclinical studies demonstrate that females consistently consume more alcohol than males. Further, women are at increased risk for the co-expression of AUD with neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety and mood disorders. However, little is understood about chronic voluntary alcohol drinking and its long-term effects on behavior. Here, we sought to characterize sex differences in chronic binge drinking and the effects of protracted alcohol abstinence on anxiety- and affective-related behaviors in males and females. Methods We assessed binge alcohol drinking patterns in male and female C57BL/6J mice using a modified Drinking in the Dark (DID) paradigm in which mice received home cage access to one bottle of 10% or 20% alcohol (EtOH) or water for 2 h per day on Days 1–3 and to two bottles (EtOH/H2O + H2O) for 24 h on Day 4 for 8 weekly cycles. Mice were then tested for the effects of protracted abstinence on avoidance, affective, and compulsive behaviors. Results Female mice consumed more alcohol than males consistently across cycles of DID and at 2, 4, and 24-h timepoints within the day, with a more robust sex difference for 20% than 10% EtOH. Females also consumed more water than males, an effect that emerged at the later time points; this water consumption bias diminished when alcohol was available. Further, while increased alcohol consumption was correlated with decreased water consumption in males, there was no relationship between these two measures in females. Alcohol preference was higher in 10% vs. 20% EtOH for both sexes. During protracted abstinence following chronic binge drinking, mice displayed decreased avoidance behavior (elevated plus maze, open field, novelty suppressed feeding) and increased compulsive behavior (marble burying) that was especially robust in females. There was no effect of alcohol history on stress coping and negative affective behaviors (sucrose preference, forced swim test, tail suspension) in either sex. Conclusion Female mice engaged in higher volume binge drinking than their male counterparts. Although females also consumed more water than males, their higher alcohol consumption was not driven by increased total fluid intake. Further, the effects of protracted abstinence following chronic binge drinking was driven by behavioral disinhibition that was more pronounced in females. Given the reciprocal relationship between risk-taking and alcohol use in neuropsychiatric disease states, these results have implications for sex-dependent alcohol drinking patterns and their long-term negative neuropsychiatric/physiological health outcomes in humans.

Laboratory tests were conducted for the production of high-purity perrhenic acid using a membrane technique—electrodialysis. Four solutions were used in the tests: diluate, concentrate, anolyte, and catholyte. The experiments were carried out in a two-stream system. The influence of basic process parameters, including the flow rate of process streams or current density, on the purity of the obtained perrhenic acid were examined. Electrodialysis was also carried out as part of this research, aiming to concentrate the perrhenic acid >100 g/dm3. The concentrate solution obtained in the concentration tests, with a concentration of 148.7 g/dm3 HReO4 and 530 mg/dm3 NH4+, was then sent to the purification process using the electrodialysis method. The purification process was carried out until the concentration of NH4+ ions was 3 in the concentrate. Finally, perrhenic acid was obtained with the following composition: 169.7 g/dm3 HReO4 and 70 mg/dm3 NH4+. Based on this research, a technological scheme for producing high-purity HReO4 by electrodialysis was developed.

This study outlines findings from an investigation into the development of a hydrometallurgical process for manufacturing various forms of zinc perrhenate, entirely from waste from recycling and from the Zn–Pb industry. Scraps of Re-bearing Ni-based superalloys and acidic waste, circulating zinc solutions generated during the production of Zn by the electrolytic method and which contain >45 g/dm3 of Zn, Na, Mn, and Mg, were used in the research. In the publication, the conditions for the production of three types of zinc perrhenate, i.e., Zn(ReO4)2·4H2O, Zn(ReO4)2, and Zn(ReO4)2·2H2O, are presented. As a result of the analysis of the obtained results, it was concluded that to obtain the above-mentioned forms of zinc perrhenate, zinc carbonate can be used, precipitated from acidic, waste, and multi-component solutions after their prior neutralization to pH 4.0 and partial purification from Mn, Mg, and Na using metallurgical zinc oxide. Zinc carbonate should be precipitated using Na2CO3 at pH 6.3 and subsequently purified from other impurities, i.e., Mg, Na, and Mn, using aqueous ammonia solutions. As a result, zinc carbonate was obtained, which was used in a reaction with an aqueous solution of HReO4 to produce zinc perrhenate. The precipitated forms of Zn(ReO4)2 were obtained by appropriately drying the crude and hydrated Zn(ReO4)2 to obtain its tetrahydrate, dihydrate, and anhydrous forms, respectively, using drying temperatures of 55, 135, and 185 °C. The developed technology has been submitted for a patent and is an example of a technology founded on the principles of sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on the minimalization of loss of rhenium and zinc at all stages of its realization.

Methods for obtaining high-purity perrhenic acid (with metallic impurities content below 100 ppm) of a high concentration > 200 g/dm3 and entirely from secondary raw materials were compared. Comparative analyses of three methods were performed: electrodialysis, solvent extraction (research carried out directly as part of the Small Grant project acronym RenMet), and ion-exchange (developed as part of previous projects implemented by Łukasiewicz-IMN). The basic process parameters were selected as comparative indicators: efficiency and selectivity of the process, purity of the obtained product, availability and consumption of raw materials and reagents, equipment necessary to carry out the process, the profitability of the technology, and the ecological aspects, i.e., the possibility of managing the generated solid waste and post-production solutions. Analysis of the verified indicators allowed us to select the most economically and ecologically advantageous method of obtaining high-purity perrhenic acid from secondary raw materials. Its preparation using the ion-exchange method emphasizes the product’s purity and the process’s simplicity, using readily available waste materials and renewable ion-exchange resin, and is based on a sustainable circular economy.

The aim of this work was to develop an effective method for obtaining perrhenic acid from available ammonia waste solutions using the solvent extraction method. An ammonia waste solution was used as the test material, with Re and NH4+ concentrations of 13.5 and 43.7 g/dm3, respectively. The scope of this study includes the following: the selection of an appropriate extractant for testing, and the examination of the impact of individual parameters on the efficiency and selectivity of extraction and stripping. The obtained results made it possible to determine the conditions for the production of perrhenic acid via the extraction method using organic solutions of trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride (Cyphos IL 101). The outcome of this study was the development of a method for obtaining perrhenic acid and the production of the acid sample with an efficiency of >90% and a Re concentration of >100 g/dm3.

Ternary alloys with CuZnIn compositions based on the binary CuZn diagram and the modeled ternary system solidus projection were investigated. The as-cast alloys, hot-rolled sheets, and samples annealed at low temperature were examined. It was found that the α-CuZn solution phase, with minor indium additions (1–2% at.), was the primary phase crystallizing during casting and remained stable at low temperatures. The ternary phase with an approximate composition of Cu8(In,Zn)4.5 and a structure analogous to the high-temperature γ-Cu9In4 phase crystallized from the liquid state and remained stable at low temperatures. This behavior results from the stabilization against peritectoidal decomposition by the Zn atoms when substituting In in the structure. A new phase γ*-Cu9(In,Zn)4 with a modified structure was identified, characterized by a reduced unit cell and an altered electronic structure. The hot-rolling process preserves the phase composition and forms a composite-like structure, with the matrix composition of γ* and large ellipsoidal α-CuZn solution particles. On a microscale, the γ* matrix exhibited a specific structure resulting from segregation processes and was composed of micrometer-sized α-CuZn(In) solution particles and nano-sized β-CuZn phase precipitates. Low-temperature annealing intensifies the γ* matrix decomposition through binary phase precipitation.

Studying how novel phenotypes originate and evolve is fundamental to the field of evolutionary biology as it allows us to understand how organismal diversity is generated and maintained. However, determining the basis of novel phenotypes is challenging as it involves orchestrated changes at multiple biological levels. Here, we aim to overcome this challenge by using a comparative species framework combining behavioral, gene expression, and genomic analyses to understand the evolutionary novel egg-laying substrate-choice behavior of the invasive pest species Drosophila suzukii. First, we used egg-laying behavioral assays to understand the evolution of ripe fruit oviposition preference in D. suzukii compared with closely related species D. subpulchrella and D. biarmipes as well as D. melanogaster. We show that D. subpulchrella and D. biarmipes lay eggs on both ripe and rotten fruits, suggesting that the transition to ripe fruit preference was gradual. Second, using two-choice oviposition assays, we studied how D. suzukii, D. subpulchrella, D. biarmipes, and D. melanogaster differentially process key sensory cues distinguishing ripe from rotten fruit during egg-laying. We found that D. suzukii's preference for ripe fruit is in part mediated through a species-specific preference for stiff substrates. Last, we sequenced and annotated a high-quality genome for D. subpulchrella. Using comparative genomic approaches, we identified candidate genes involved in D. suzukii's ability to seek out and target ripe fruits. Our results provide detail to the stepwise evolution of pest activity in D. suzukii, indicating important cues used by this species when finding a host, and the molecular mechanisms potentially underlying their adaptation to a new ecological niche.

This work presents the research results on the development of an innovative, hydrometallurgical technology for the production of manganese(II) perrhenate dihydrate from recycled waste. These wastes are scraps of Ni-based superalloys containing Re and scraps of Li–ion batteries containing Mn—specifically, solutions from the leaching of black mass. This work presents the conditions for the production of Mn(ReO4)2·2H2O. Thus, to obtain Mn(ReO4)2·2H2O, manganese(II) oxide was used, precipitated from the solutions obtained after the leaching of black mass from Li–ion batteries scrap and purified from Cu, Fe and Al (pH = 5.2). MnO2 precipitation was carried out at a temperature < 50 °C for 30 min using a stoichiometric amount of KMnO4 in the presence of H2O2. MnO2 precipitated in this way was purified using a 20% H2SO4 solution and then H2O. Purified MnO2 was then added alternately with a 30% H2O2 solution to an aqueous HReO4 solution. The reaction was conducted at room temperature for 30 min to obtain a pH of 6–7. Mn(ReO4)2·2H2O precipitated by evaporating the solution to dryness was purified by recrystallization from H2O with the addition of H2O2 at least twice. Purified Mn(ReO4)2·2H2O was dried at a temperature of 100–110 °C. Using the described procedure, Mn(ReO4)2·2H2O was obtained with a purity of >99.0%. This technology is an example of the green transformation method, taking into account the 6R principles.

The work presents the research results regarding the development of an innovative technology for the production of lithium perrhenate. The new technology is based entirely on hydrometallurgical processes. The source of lithium was solutions created during the processing of Li-ion battery masses, and the source of rhenium was perrhenic acid, produced from the scraps of Ni-based superalloys. The research showed that with the use of lithium carbonate, obtained from post-leaching solutions of Li-ion battery waste and properly purified (by washing with water, alcohol, and cyclic purification with CO2), and perrhenic acid, lithium perrhenate can be obtained. The following conditions: room temperature, time 1 h, 30% excess of lithium carbonate, and rhenium concentration in the acid from 20 g/dm3 to 300 g/dm3, allowed to produce a compound containing a total of 1000 ppm of metal impurities. The developed technology is characterized by the management of all aqueous waste solutions and solid waste and the lack of loss of valuable metals such as rhenium and lithium after the initial precipitation step of lithium carbonate.

This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of new organic substances, including a novel ionic liquid based on polyhexamethylenebiguanidine, polyhexamethyleneguanidine, and safranin in the copper electrorefining process. Experiments were conducted on a small laboratory scale using industrial copper anodes. Single doses of new additives did not improve process indicators (current efficiency, average cell voltage, specific energy consumption) or the quality of copper cathode deposits. However, a combination of a new ionic liquid based on polyhexamethylenebiguanidine and thiourea resulted in a satisfactory current efficiency of 97%, an average cell voltage of 0.110 V, a low specific energy consumption index of approximately 100 kWh/tCu, and smooth cathode surfaces. These results were superior to those obtained with industrial additives (bone glue and thiourea). The findings enhance our understanding of how these substances influence the electrorefining process and suggest the potential for more efficient and sustainable methods. Further research is recommended to validate these findings and explore their industrial applications.

This paper presents comparative experimental results for the single-stage and two-stage counter-current acid leaching of battery masses, with the addition of a booster, from different types of LIB waste. Three different types of battery masses were used in this research: Material I, module car; Material II, tablets and laptops; and Material III, mobile phones. These materials were obtained during the mechanical processing of Li-ion battery waste, which were dried at a temperature in the range of 80–180 °C. Leaching studies of these materials were carried out using the single-stage acid leaching method with the addition of hydrogen peroxide, and the innovative two-stage counter-current acid leaching method, also with the addition of hydrogen peroxide. The single-stage leaching of the battery mass (regardless of the composition of the material) in a 15% or 20% sulfuric acid solution with the addition of 30% H2O2 aqueous solution, for 2 h, with a solid-to-liquid-phase ratio of 1:5 or 1:4 at a temperature of 60 °C ensures the leaching of cobalt, nickel, copper and lithium with efficiencies above 95%. On the other hand, the use of an innovative method of two-stage counter-current leaching of the battery mass ensures the leaching of cobalt, nickel, copper and lithium at a level significantly greater than 95%, while obtaining a concentration of cobalt in the leaching solution at a level of nearly 50 g/dm3. It also reduces the leaching time of a single stage to 1 h and, importantly, reduces the amount of waste solutions and the consumption of H2O2 and sulfuric acid. The developed method of the two-stage counter-current leaching of battery masses is therefore characterized by high efficiency and low environmental impact, thanks to which it can be used in commercial processes for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract Background A growing body of evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has had detrimental mental health effects for pregnant women. However, little is known about the specific stressors that increased anxiety for pregnant women at the start of the pandemic. The present study aimed to better understand the concerns of pregnant women during the beginning COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing content posted during the month of March 2020 on online pregnancy message boards hosted on WhatToExpect.com. Methods All posts published between March 1–31, 2020 on nine different due-date specific WhatToExpect.com message boards were reviewed for COVID-19 relevance. Posts mentioning COVID-19 or its direct effects (e.g., “quarantine” or “stay-at-home order”) were included in our final sample. Data were coded by three authors according to a codebook developed inductively by all four authors. Posts were analyzed by overall frequency of appearance, by trimester, and temporally across the month of March 2020. Results Across the 5,541 posts included in our final sample, the most common topics were fear of COVID-19 exposure, concerns with labor and delivery, navigating social interactions, and disruptions to prenatal care. The most dominant topics by trimester were disruptions to prenatal care (first trimester), fear of COVID-19 exposure (second trimester), and concerns about labor and delivery (third trimester). Conclusion Our findings add to prior literature by demonstrating the salience of social concerns, which was the third largest COVID-19 topic in our sample. Emotional distress was most salient with regard to restrictions on birthing partners, but was apparent in everything from disruptions to pregnancy announcements, to cancelled baby showers, and limitations on newborn visitors. Given that anxiety during pregnancy is associated with worse maternal–fetal health outcomes, in the early stages of future pandemics healthcare providers should focus not only on strictly health-related concerns expressed by pregnant women, but also more broadly on other sources of anxiety that may be impacting the well-being and mental health of their patients.

Laboratory tests were conducted for the production of high-purity perrhenic acid using a membrane technique—electrodialysis. Four solutions were used in the tests: diluate, concentrate, anolyte, and catholyte. The experiments were carried out in a two-stream system. The influence of basic process parameters, including the flow rate of process streams or current density, on the purity of the obtained perrhenic acid were examined. Electrodialysis was also carried out as part of this research, aiming to concentrate the perrhenic acid >100 g/dm3. The concentrate solution obtained in the concentration tests, with a concentration of 148.7 g/dm3 HReO4 and 530 mg/dm3 NH4+, was then sent to the purification process using the electrodialysis method. The purification process was carried out until the concentration of NH4+ ions was <100 mg/dm3 in the concentrate. Finally, perrhenic acid was obtained with the following composition: 169.7 g/dm3 HReO4 and 70 mg/dm3 NH4+. Based on this research, a technological scheme for producing high-purity HReO4 by electrodialysis was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method for obtaining cobalt(II) perrhenate from waste derived from two types of materials, i.e., Li-ion battery scrap, or more precisely, battery mass, and superalloy scrap. Both of the above-mentioned materials are a source of Co. However, a source of rhenium is perrhenic acid produced from ammonium perrhenate (recycled) by the ion exchange method using resins. Co(OH)2 can be precipitated from solutions resulting from the leaching of Li-ion battery mass, sludge from the Zn-Pb industry and superalloy scrap. The compound, after proper purification, can be used in a reaction with perrhenic acid to form Co(ReO4)2. The reaction should be conducted under the following conditions: time 1 h, room temperature, 30% excess of cobalt(II) hydroxide, and rhenium concentration in HReO4 from about 20 g/dm3 to 300 g/dm3. This work shows that with the use of Co(OH)2, obtained from waste, an anhydrous form of cobalt(II) perrhenate can be obtained, containing < 1000 ppm of the cumulative metal impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a new method of producing anhydrous nickel(II) perrhenate of high purity, entirely from waste from the national Cu industry. This method consists mainly of the reaction of water-washed nickel(II) oxide (obtained by purification in a mixture of alcohols, and subsequent roasting of the Ni-containing sulfate semi-finished products (NSP) at 1200 °C) with perrhenic acid (obtained using the ion exchange method). After the dissolution of nickel(II) oxide in the acid (at a temperature in the range of 60–80 °C) and obtaining a pH of 5–8, the solution is sent to evaporate to dryness, also at a temperature not exceeding 80 °C. The obtained crude nickel(II) perrhenate is washed with methanol and subsequently dried at 160 °C to obtain its anhydrous form, with the following composition: 10.5% of Ni; 66.6% of Re;

Global warming is caused by human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels, which produces high levels of greenhouse gasses. As a consequence, climate change impacts all organisms and the greater ecosystem through changing conditions from weather patterns to the temperature, pH and salt concentrations found in waterways and soil. These environmental changes fundamentally alter many parameters of the living world, from the kinetics of chemical reactions and cellular signaling pathways to the accumulation of unforeseen chemicals in the environment, the appearance and dispersal of new diseases, and the availability of traditional foods. Some organisms adapt to extremes, while others cannot. This article asks five questions that prompt us to consider the foundational knowledge that biochemistry can bring to the table as we meet the challenge of climate change. We approach climate change from the molecular point of view, identifying how cells and organisms – from microbes to plants and animals – respond to changing environmental conditions. To embrace the concept of “one health” for all life on the planet, we argue that we must leverage biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biophysics and genetics to fully understand the impact of climate change on the living world and to bring positive change.

Electrolytic Ni–Re alloy coatings were obtained in galvanostatic conditions from nickel–rhenium baths with different contents of ammonium rhenate(vii) (0.5, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 g·L−1). The surface morphology, chemical, and phase composition of the obtained materials were determined. The coatings’ corrosion resistance tests were carried out in a 5% NaCl solution. Based on the tests, it was found that the highest corrosion resistance characterizes the coating with the highest rhenium content (37%). This material can be recommended for practical use as a protective coating. The density of the deposited Ni–37Re alloy was determined, and its specific surface area was assessed. The melting point, hardness, and electrical conductivity were also determined.

Angiomyolipoma is a benign tumor consisting of abnormal vessels, smooth muscles, and fatty tissue. Renal cell carcinoma is an insidious neoplasm accounting for approximately 2% of global cancer diagnoses. Due to similar diagnostic features, the differentiation between the two types is sometimes difficult. We hereby present the case of a 60-year-old patient with no clinical symptoms and a focal lesion in the parenchymal layer of the left kidney incidentally detected on ultrasound examination. The putative diagnosis was angiomyolipoma, which was then confirmed by another ultrasound and computed tomography examinations. However, a further radiologic consultation revealed another probable diagnosis – renal cell carcinoma. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was conducted, and the enhancement pattern was suggestive of cancer. To sum up, a thorough imaging examination plays an important role in the diagnostic work-up of neoplastic lesions in the kidney. Even then, however, the radiological image of the lesion may be misleading, so differential diagnosis is important for making a proper diagnosis.