Harmful Components Research Articles

What is the role of the neutrophil extracellular traps in the cardiovascular disease burden associated with hemodialysis bioincompatibility?

Despite significant progress in dialysis modalities, intermittent renal replacement therapy remains an "unphysiological" treatment that imperfectly corrects uremic disorders and may lead to low-grade chronic inflammation, neutrophil activation, and oxidative stress due to repetitive blood/membrane interactions contributing to the "remaining uremic syndrome" and cardiovascular disease burden of hemodialysis patients. Understanding dialysis bioincompatibility pathways still remains a clinical and biochemical challenge. Indeed, surrogate biomarkers of inflammation including C-reactive protein could not discriminate between all components involved in these complex pathways. A few examples may serve to illustrate the case. Cytokine release during dialysis sessions may be underestimated due to their removal using high-flux dialysis or hemodiafiltration modalities. Complement activation is recognized as a key event of bioincompatibility. However, it appears as an early and transient event with anaphylatoxin level normalization at the end of the dialysis session. Complement activation is generally assumed to trigger leukocyte stimulation leading to proinflammatory mediators' secretion and oxidative burst. In addition to being part of the innate immune response involved in eliminating physically and enzymatically microbes, the formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), known as NETosis, has been recently identified as a major harmful component in a wide range of pathologies associated with inflammatory processes. NETs result from the neutrophil degranulation induced by reactive oxygen species overproduction via NADPH oxidase and consist of modified chromatin decorated with serine proteases, elastase, bactericidal proteins, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) that produces hypochlorite anion. Currently, NETosis remains poorly investigated as a sensitive and integrated marker of bioincompatibility in dialysis. Only scarce data could be found in the literature. Oxidative burst and NADPH oxidase activation are well-known events in the bioincompatibility phenomenon. NET byproducts such as elastase, MPO, and circulating DNA have been reported to be increased in dialysis patients more specifically during dialysis sessions, and were identified as predictors of poor outcomes. As NETs and MPO could be taken up by endothelium, NETs could be considered as a vascular memory of intermittent bioincompatibility phenomenon. In this working hypothesis article, we summarized the puzzle pieces showing the involvement of NET formation during hemodialysis and postulated that NETosis may act as a disease modifier and may contribute to the comorbid burden associated with dialysis bioincompatibility.

Changing Strategies for the Detection of Bacteria in Platelet Components in Ireland: From Primary and Secondary Culture (2010-2020) to Large Volume Delayed Sampling (2020-2023).

Bacterial contamination of platelet components (PC) poses the greatest microbial risk to recipients, as bacteria can multiply over the course of PC storage at room temperature. Between 2010 and 2020, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) screened over 170,000 buffy coat-derived pooled (BCDP) and single-donor apheresis platelets (SDAPs) with the BACT/ALERT 3D microbial detection system (Biomerieux, L'Etoile, France), using a two-step screening protocol which incorporated primary and secondary cultures. Although the protocol was successful in averting septic transfusion reactions (STRs), testing large sample volumes at later time points was reported to improve detection of bacterial contamination. A modified large-volume delayed sampling (LVDS)-type protocol was adopted in 2020, which in the case of SDAP was applied to collections rather than individual splits (2020-2023, 44,642 PC screened). Rates of bacterial contamination for BCDP were 0.125% on Day-2, 0.043% on Day-4 vs. 0.191% in the post-LVDS period. SDAP contamination rates in the pre-LVDS period were 0.065% on Day-1, 0.017% on Day-4 vs. 0.072% in the post-LVDS period. Confirmed STRs were absent, and the interdiction rate for possibly contaminated SDAP was over 70%. In the post-LVDS period, BCDPs had a higher total positivity rate than SDAPs, 0.191% (1:525) versus 0.072% (1:1385), respectively, (chi-squared 12.124, 1 df, p = 0.0005). The majority of organisms detected were skin-flora-type, low pathogenicity organisms, including coagulase-negative staphylococci and Cutibacterium acnes, with little change in the frequency of clinically significant organisms identified over time. Both protocols prevented the issue of potentially harmful components contaminated (rarely) with a range of pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Serratia marcesens, Staphylococcus aureus, and streptococci. Culture positivity of outdates post-LVDS whereby 100% of expired platelets are retested provides a residual risk estimate of 0.06% (95% CI 0.016-0.150). However, bacterial contamination rates in expired platelets did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the pre-LVDS 0.100% (CI 0.033-0.234) and post-LVDS 0.059% (0.016-0.150) periods (chi-squared = 0.651, 1 df, p = 0.42).

Evaluation of a pressure sensing glow plug in terms of its application possibility to control the combustion process of a hydrogen-powered spark-ignition engine

The article contains the results of an analysis of the suitability of a pressure sensing glow plug for use in a hydrogen engine control system. Due to the properties of hydrogen, the process of its combustion in spark-ignition engines is significantly different from the classic fuels. It is planned to use the pressure sensor signal to control the combustion process to obtain high power and efficiency, with the lowest possible emission of nitrogen oxides, which is the main harmful component of hydrogen engines. After an initial assessment of suitability, it was decided to use a pressure sensing glow plug. This choice is dictated by the low price, good availability and high durability of these sensors. The preliminary tests were carried out using a low-power single-cylinder SI engine coupled with a 48V generator. The tests were carried out for several values of engine speed and load of the generator and for classic gasoline with a research octane number (RON) of 95. In order to obtain an increased pressure rise rate in the cylinder, as for hydrogen fueling, the engine operation was also tested with unmodified light gasoline used as solvent, which is characterized by a significantly lower RON value. The use of a reference pressure sensor in the cylinder made it possible to determine the behavior of the PSG in various operating conditions. The tests revealed that the differences in the pressure waveforms registered with both sensors can be systematized depending on the engine speed and its load.

Mitochondrial transfer between cell crosstalk - An emerging role in mitochondrial quality control.

Intercellular signaling and component conduction are essential for multicellular organisms' homeostasis, and mitochondrial transcellular transport is a key example of such cellular component exchange. In physiological situations, mitochondrial transfer is linked with biological development, energy coordination, and clearance of harmful components, remarkably playing important roles in maintaining mitochondrial quality. Mitochondria are engaged in many critical biological activities, like oxidative metabolism and biomolecular synthesis, and are exclusively prone to malfunction in pathological processes. Importantly, severe mitochondrial damage will further amplify the defects in the mitochondrial quality control system, which will mobilize more active mitochondrial transfer, replenish exogenous healthy mitochondria, and remove endogenous damaged mitochondria to facilitate disease outcomes. This review explores intercellular mitochondrial transport in cells, its role in cellular mitochondrial quality control, and the linking mechanisms in cellular crosstalk. We also describe advances in therapeutic strategies for diseases that target mitochondrial transfer.

Assessing indoor PM2.5 microbial activity in a university campus environments in Beijing

Most people spend 90 % of their time inside, indoor bioaerosols significantly impact human health. This study aimed to investigate the substantial impact of indoor bioaerosols, particularly the harmful small particle-size components within Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5), on human health in a crowded campus setting. Conducted during the summer at a Beijing university, the research assesses microbial activity within PM2.5 in offices (occupied by both teachers and students) and student dormitories, encompassing bedrooms and common areas. The optimized Fluorescein Diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis method was employed for assessment. Indoor microbial activity ranged from 1.18 to 176.56 ng m−3 sodium fluorescein while outdoor activity ranged from 6.14 to 90.15 ng m−3 sodium fluorescein. Meteorological factors, including heavy rain and strong winds, influenced the correlation between indoor and outdoor microbial activity, contrasting with the effect of air pollution levels. Offices with high occupancy and outdoor environments with strong winds or heavy rain often resulted in an I/O ratio >2, and a negative correlation was observed between the I/O ratio and indoor microbial activity. The study underscores the significance of ventilation type (air conditioning vs. natural ventilation), emphasising the importance of maintenance and clean living habits in reducing indoor microbial loads. Furthermore, it identifies population density as a pivotal factor affecting microbial activity in office air. This study contributes to assessing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and controlling bioaerosol pollution, and provides an effective measure for rapidly evaluating biological air pollution in crowded indoor environments using the PM-based microbial activity.

Synthesis and application of super absorbent polymers synthesized with ammonia solution and diatomaceous earth with low toxic residues

Water-soluble harmful components that remained in SAPs pose potential risks to crop growth, resulting in decreased seed germination rate, reduced yield, and inhibited root system growth. These factors restrict its widespread use in agriculture and forestry. In this study, a new type of super absorbent polymers (AD-SAP) with low residual acrylic acid and sodium ions was synthesized by using ammonia solution instead of strong alkali sodium hydroxide for neutralization and adding modified diatomaceous earth to improve the grafting efficiency. The prepared samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and the influence of the dosage of acrylic acid and ammonia solution used for preparation on the residual content of water-soluble harmful components in AD-SAPs was investigated. When 28% of acrylic acid, 24% of ammonia solution, and 5% of diatomaceous earth were used for synthesis, the residual acrylic acid content in AD-SAP was 0.03%, and the sodium ion content was reduced to 0.12 g/kg, which is much lower than the three commercially available SAPs. However, its water-absorption capacity has not decreased and its salt resistance has improved. The water absorption ratio of AD-SAP is 578g/g, and the salt-absorption ratio is 87 g/g. Pot experiments showed that AD-SAP eliminated the adverse effects of commercial SAPs on crop growth. The research provided technical support for the production of SAPs, and offer scientific guidance for how to mitigate the adverse effects of SAPs on crop growth.

A scoping review on e-cigarette environmental impacts.

The use of e-cigarettes has grown in popularity worldwide. From their manufacturing, use, and disposal, the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes present a novel public health concern that needs to be urgently investigated. However, very limited studies have focused on the subject matter. The present study aims to review available studies to identify the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes. In this scoping review, we undertook a search in two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) from inception until 21 March 2023, and a gray literature search in Google Scholar. Reference lists of publications included in the scoping review were screened manually for additional relevant publications. Scientific publications that were in English and focused on the potential impacts of e-cigarettes on the environment were included. A total of 693 publications were identified, of which 33 were subjected to full-text review and 9 publications were finally included in the review. The impacts on air quality, water, land use, and animals, water and energy consumption, with associated environmental impacts, increased pollution and emissions due to greater e-cigarette production, having harmful and toxic components, creating pollution and waste issues, and global environmental impacts due to manufacturing and importing ingredients and components from low- and middle-income countries, were identified as the environmental impacts of e-cigarettes. Despite the emphasis on the environmental threat of e-cigarettes, there are limited scientific studies on the environmental impacts of the e-cigarette life cycle. Considering the rapid expansion of e-cigarette usage, there is an urgent need for a rigorous assessment of their life-cycle environmental burden of the various potential health, environmental, and other consequences.

Biodegradable Nanofiber/Metal-Organic Framework/Cotton Air Filtration Membranes Enabling Simultaneous Removal of Toxic Gases and Particulate Matter.

The typical filters that protect us from harmful components, such as toxic gases and particulate matter (PM), are made from petroleum-based materials, which need to be replaced with other environmentally friendly materials. Herein, we demonstrate a route to fabricate biodegradable and dual-functional filtration membranes that effectively remove PM and toxic gases. The membrane was integrated using two layers: (i) cellulose-based nanofibers for PM filtration and (ii) metal-organic framework (MOF)-coated cotton fabric for removal of toxic gases. Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) was grown from the surface of the cotton fabric by the treatment of cotton fabric with an organic precursor solution and subsequent immersion in an inorganic precursor solution. Cellulose acetate nanofibers (NFs) were deposited on the MOF-coated cotton fabric via electrospinning. At the optimal thickness of the NF layer, the quality factor of 18.8 × 10-2 Pa-1 was achieved with a filtration efficiency of 93.1%, air permeability of 19.0 cm3/cm2/s, and pressure drop of 14.2 Pa. The membrane exhibits outstanding gas adsorption efficiencies (>99%) for H2S, formaldehyde, and NH3. The resulting membrane was highly biodegradable, with a weight loss of 62.5% after 45 days under standard test conditions. The proposed strategy should provide highly sustainable material platforms for practical multifunctional membranes in personal protective equipment.

Construction of “Coral” SERS sensor for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of harmful component macrophage migration inhibitory factor in Platelet-rich Plasma

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory factor produced by residual red blood cell lysis, which can significantly influence the curative effect of Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy used for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. In this study, we proposed a novel approach for detecting the concentration of MIF in PRP using a dopamine-coated antibody-Au (core)-Ag (shell)-SERS sensor, which enables ultrasensitive and rapid detection of MIF. The best experimental conditions have a detection limit of only 90.05 pg/mL and a good linear relationship between 1-5000 ng/mL. In 40 PRP samples collected from actual clinical patients, we detected MIF concentrations ranging from 2.0-3.6 ng/mL. This indicated that the Coral SERS sensor not only allows for results highly consistent with the traditional ELISA method, but also costs less ($0.40-$0.70), needs shorter testing time (integration time is only 10s), and consumes less PRP that can greatly improve the sample quality and maximize the curative effect in clinical applications for OA treatment with PRP.

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange and Multiple Sclerosis Dysregulations: Focus on the Removal of Pathogenic Circulatory Factors and Altering Nerve Growth Factor and Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Plasma Levels.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is predominantly an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS) of unknown etiology with a possible genetic predisposition and effect of certain environmental factors. It is generally accepted that the disease begins with an autoimmune inflammatory reaction targeting oligodendrocytes followed by a rapid depletion of their regenerative capacity with subsequent permanent neurodegenerative changes and disability. Recent research highlights the central role of B lymphocytes and the corresponding IgG and IgM autoantibodies in newly forming MS lesions. Thus, their removal along with the modulation of certain bioactive molecules to improve neuroprotection using therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) becomes of utmost importance. Recently, it has been proposed to determine the levels and precise effects of both beneficial and harmful components in the serum of MS patients undergoing TPE to serve as markers for appropriate TPE protocols. In this review we discuss some relevant examples, focusing on the removal of pathogenic circulating factors and altering the plasma levels of nerve growth factor and sphingosine-1-phosphate by TPE. Altered plasma levels of the reviewed molecular compounds in response to TPE reflect a successful reduction of the pro-inflammatory burden at the expense of an increase in anti-inflammatory potential in the circulatory and CNS compartments.

The recovery of valuable components from secondary lead dust by a multi-step hydrometallurgical process

Multicomponent secondary lead dust (MSLD) is a significant resource that contains valuable metals such as lead, zinc, and cadmium, along with potentially harmful components such as salts (K, Cl) and As. In this study, an economic and efficient method was proposed for the recovery of MSLD, including desalination, sulfation roasting, water leaching, and zinc plate cementation. Firstly, desalination was conducted to remove K and Cl, and 90.4% of K and 76.5% of Cl were selectively removed with a low NaOH consumption of 1.00 g/t dust at 40 °C and pH 7.5. Subsequently, the desalted residue, enriched with Cd, Zn, As, and Pb, was treated by H2SO4 roasting, which facilitated the transformation of arsenites and sulfides into As2O3 and sulphates. The recovery of As was achieved with a volatilisation efficiency of 93.2% as As2O3 using 65% H2SO4 at 350 °C. Finally, the recovery of Cd was accomplished through zinc plate cementation, resulting in the cementation of 99.4% Cd as Cd sponge with a purity of 96.3%. The residue from water leaching and cemented solution gathered 98.2% Pb and 94.6% Zn. The multi-step process realised the selective removal of K and Cl salts as well as the comprehensive recovery of valuable elements.

Bidirectional Catalysis Disintegration and Mineral Polymerization via Endogenous Iron(III) from Iron-Rich Sludge in Synergy with Waste Incineration Fly Ash.

To enhance the utilization of solid waste in cement kiln co-processing, this study analyzed the multifaceted synergy of pyrolysis and mineralization processes of iron-rich sludge (SS) and waste incineration fly ash (FA) at optimal blending ratios. Based on the physicochemical properties of SS and co-pyrolysis experiments, it was found that Fe acted as a positive catalyst in pyrolysis between 700 and 1000 °C, while the endogenous polymerization effect of Fe(III) mineral groups dominated above 800 °C. Additionally, the study investigated the solidification and migration of heavy metals and the transformation of harmful elements (S, Cl, and P). Results indicated that the best mixture ratios for SS and FA were 6:4 and 9:1, respectively, and synergistic pyrolysis and mineral co-curing effects were observed in the pyrolysis temperature range of 50-1000 °C. The synergy between SS and FA allowed for the decomposition and solidification of harmful organic components and heavy metals, reducing environmental risks. Furthermore, in actual production, by mixing 100 tons of SS and FA with Portland cement with a daily output of 2500 tons, the compressive strength during early hydration stages can reach 34.52 MPa on the third day, exceeding the highest performance of Portland cement (62.5R) strength index specified in the standard.

Rice husk derived biogenic silica coated cotton as an effective, sustainable oil-water separation platform

Oil-spills present a significant threat to the environmental marine bio-diversity. Conventional cleaning approaches such as skimming are costly. In this regard, alternative approaches utilizing functional nanoparticles (NP) are on the rise due to their effectiveness in separating the non-aqueous phase. This work presents a facile yet sustainable methodology using environmentally-friendly biogenic silica for removing oil from an oil-water mixture. To begin with, an agricultural-waste, rice husk (RH), is subjected to slow pyrolysis under CO2 environment to obtain bio-char. Bio-char is then treated at different pH and calcined, to generate silica NP. Process parameters such as reactor temperature, and pH of biochar-treating solution, are varied to understand their effect on silica NP characteristics. Experiments reveal that pH 5 and temperature 500 °C, facilitate generation of silica NP (∼18 nm). XRD analysis uncovers cristobalite phase presence in NP, which is reported to possess low unit cell volume, thereby contributing to an overall less particle size. Silica NP are modified by treating them with different silanes. PFDS treated silica NP is observed to possess superhydrophobicity, (water contact angle ∼ 160°) and oleophilicity (oil contact angle below 10°). This characteristic is attributed to low surface energy of PFDS. Silica NP coated cotton substrate is then utilized as a sorbent. Repeatability tests reveal that the natural sorbent can effectively separate oil-water mixture even after 40 cycles, with an efficiency of 97%. The findings of this study can aid in development of economical, sustainable platforms for separating oil/water mixtures or harmful components from aqueous/non-aqueous mixture.

Basic Three-Dimensional (3D) Intestinal Model System with an Immune Component.

There has been an increase in the use of in vivo and in vitro intestinal models to study the pathophysiology of inflammatory intestinal diseases, for the pharmacological screening of potentially beneficial substances, and for toxicity studies on potentially harmful food components. Of relevance, there is a current demand for the development of cell-based in vitro models to substitute animal models. Here, a protocol for a basic, "healthy tissue" three-dimensional (3D) intestinal equivalent model using cell lines is presented with the dual benefit of providing both experimental simplicity (standardized and easily repeatable system) and physiological complexity (Caco-2 enterocytes with a supporting immune component of U937 monocytes and L929 fibroblasts). The protocol also includes paraffin embedding for light microscopic evaluation of fixed intestinal equivalents, thereby providing the advantage of analyzing multiple visual parameters from a single experiment. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained sections showing the Caco-2 columnar cells forming a tight and regular monolayer in control treatments are used to verify the efficacy of the model as an experimental system. Using gluten as a pro-inflammatory food component, parameters analyzed from sections include reduced monolayer thickness, as well as disruption and detachment from the underlying matrix (H&E), decreased tight junction protein expression as shown from occludin staining (quantifiable statistically), and immune-activation of migrating U937 cells as evidenced from the cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) staining and CD11b-related differentiation into macrophages. As shown by using lipopolysaccharide to simulate intestinal inflammation, additional parameters that can be measured are increased mucus staining and cytokine expression (such as midkine) that can be extracted from the medium prior to fixation. The basic three-dimensional (3D) intestinal mucosa model and fixed sections can be recommended for inflammatory status and barrier integrity studies with the possibility of analyzing multiple visual quantifiable parameters.

Natural deep eutectic solvents of γ-valerolactone and formic acid for oxidative desulfurization with superior efficiency

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are widely used in oxidative desulfurization (ODS) to produce clean fuel. However, some DESs with good ODS efficiencies are generally consisted of harmful components, and the ODS efficiencies of most DESs with green components need to be further improved. Herein, a DES with two natural compounds of γ-valerolactone (γ-Val) and formic acid (FA) was prepared and used in ODS. The hydrogen bond interaction of DES was characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, DSC, and calculated by density functional theory (DFT) computation. The radical quenching experiments, EPR, and kinetic study were carried out to investigate the active radical and apparent activation energy of ODS process. The desulfurization efficiencies of γ-Val and FA (molar ratio 1: 4) DES was capable of reaching 100% of dibenzothiophene (DBT) removal within 100 min at an energy saving way of room temperature (25 °C) with a low O/S molar ratio of 2. When the temperature was raised to 70 °C and the O/S molar ratio was raised to 5, 100% sulfur removal of dibenzothiophene, 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT), and benzothiophene (BT) could be achieved in 4 min, 6 min, and 10 min respectively. DFT calculations revealed that the introduction of γ-Val could reduce the transition state energy barrier of ODS compared with a single FA ODS process. This work provides a novel high ODS efficiency DES with natural compounds, indicating the potential application of green DESs in ODS catalysts.

Spatial Distribution of Heavy Element in Erbil's Municipal Landfills by Using GIS

Untreated municipal solid waste (MSW) release onto land is prevalent in developing countries. To reduce the high levels of harmful components in polluted soils, a proper evaluation of heavy metal concentrations in Erbil's Kani Qrzhala dump between August 2021 and February 2022 is required. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of improper solid waste disposal on soil properties within a landfill by assessing the risks of contamination for eight heavy elements in two separate layers of the soil by using geoaccumulation index (I-geo) and pollution load index (PLI) supported. The ArcGIS software was employed to map the spatial distribution of heavy element pollution and potential ecological risks. The I-geo values in summer varied from -1.700 to 3.560 for Zn, 5.045 to 8.175 for Cd, 2.318 to 4.329 for Pb, 0 to 3.374 for Mn, 1.439 to 3.880 for Ni, 0.638 to 2.278 for Cu, -0.541 to 2.665 for Cr, and -2.495 to 0.778 for Hg. Based on the I-geo categorization, the contamination levels of Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, Ni, Cu, and Hg ranged from uncontaminated to extremely contaminated. However, all metals were assessed as uncontaminated throughout winter, except I-geo (Cd) and I- geo (Ni) varied from -0.467 to 3.966 and -5.720 to 2.015 were classified from as uncontaminated to strong and uncontaminated to moderately/strongly contaminated respectively. According to the PLI category, most samples were rated as "highly polluted" during summer, but during the rainy season, all samples were rated as "unpolluted".

Peripheral nervous system is injured by neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) elicited by nonstructural (NS) protein-1 from Zika virus.

The involvement of innate immune mediators to the Zika virus (ZIKV)-induced neuroinflammation is not yet well known. Here, we investigated whether neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are scaffolds of DNA associated with proteins, have the potential to injure peripheral nervous. The tissue lesions were evaluated after adding NETs to dorsal root ganglia (DRG) explants and to DRG constituent cells or injecting them into mouse sciatic nerves. Identification of NET harmful components was achieved by pharmacological inhibition of NET constituents. We found that ZIKV inoculation into sciatic nerves recruited neutrophils and elicited the production of the cytokines CXCL1 and IL-1β, classical NET inducers, but did not trigger NET formation. ZIKV blocked PMA- and CXCL8-induced NET release, but, in contrast, the ZIKV nonstructural protein (NS)-1 induced NET formation. NET-enriched supernatants were toxic to DRG explants, decreasing neurite area, length, and arborization. NETs were toxic to DRG constituent cells and affected myelinating cells. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and histones were identified as the harmful component of NETs. NS1 injection into mouse sciatic nerves recruited neutrophils and triggered NET release and caspase-3 activation, events that were also elicited by the injection of purified MPO. In summary, we found that ZIKV NS1 protein induces NET formation, which causes nervous tissue damages. Our findings reveal new mechanisms leading to neuroinflammation by ZIKV.

Modification of phases evolution and heavy metal immobilization in alkali-activated MSWI FA by the incorporation of converter steel slag

Municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI FA) poses serious environmental concerns due to its high content of hazardous organics, heavy metals, and soluble salts. This study aimed to solidify the harmful components in MSWI FA by alkali activation and explore the influence of converter steel slag on the phase evolution. With the increase of curing time, the amount of C-(A)-S-H gel increased and its microstructure shifted to a high crystalline and crosslinked state, accompanied by the increase of Ca/Si ratio. The addition of steel slag was beneficial to the formation of C-(A)-S-H gel and enhanced its crystallinity and crosslinking degree. Compared with alkali-activated MSWI FA, NaCl and KCl content decreased more significantly with curing time and Friedel ’salts were found in the matrix modified by steel slag. The leaching toxicity of heavy metals in alkali-activated matrix was reduced as curing time increased. The increase of C-(A)-S-H gel content and changes of its microstructure were conducive to the stabilization of heavy metals and chlorides. The refinement of pore size and improvement of compressive strength contributed to the physical encapsulation of heavy metals and chlorides.

Ubiquitination in the regulation of autophagy.

Autophagy, an efficient and effective approach to clear rapidly damaged organelles, macromolecules, and other harmful cellular components, enables the recycling of nutrient materials and supply of nutrients to maintain cellular homeostasis. Ubiquitination plays an important regulatory role in autophagy. This paper summarizes the most recent progress in ubiquitin modification in various stages of autophagy, including initiation, elongation, and termination. Moreover, this paper shows that ubiquitination is an important way through which selective autophagy achieves substrate specificity. Furthermore, we note the distinction between monoubiquitination and polyubiquitination in the regulation of autophagy. Compared with monoubiquitination, polyubiquitination is a more common strategy to regulate the activity of the autophagy molecular machinery. In addition, the role of ubiquitination in the closure and fusion of autophagosomes warrants further study. This article not only clarifies the regulatory mechanism of autophagy but also contributes to a deeper understanding of the importance of ubiquitination modification.

Fuel consumption and CO<sub>2</sub> emission analysis of hybrid and conventional vehicles in urban conditions

Passenger vehicles equipped with conventional drives, in which the internal combustion engine is the only source of energy, dominate on Polish and European roads. Despite the trend of electrification of means of road transport, conventional vehicles are still the most frequently purchased by customers. An alternative are vehicles with a hybrid drive system. They are characterized by lower fuel consumption and lower emission of harmful exhaust compounds compared to conventional vehicles. The aim of this paper is to examine the dependence between route parameters and fuel consumption and emissions of harmful exhaust components of vehicles with a conventional and hybrid drive system.