Unwanted Material Research Articles

Impact of Eisenia fetida populations on bio-conversion of paper mill solid wastes

PurposeHuge quantity of paper mill wastes are dumped at the outskirt of factory as unwanted materials. Vermicomposting is an eco-friendly technique for beneficial conversion of different biodegradable/organic wastes into useful organic manure utilizing earthworms. Solid wastes generated in paper mills contain appreciable quantity of organic matter. Attempt was made for bio-conversion of Emami paper mill wastes with different numbers of Eisenia fetida (5–30 earthworms/2 kg substrate) for studying its influence on vermi-conversing time and quality of prepared vermicompost.MethodVermicomposting was carried out in trays following heap method and quality of final product was determined following both chemical analysis and bioassay on wheat seedlings.ResultsApplication of more earthworms up to 20 numbers per 2 kg substrate made bio-conversion quicker but further addition of earthworm, however, delayed the process as some earthworms came out of beds and died probably due to competition for food among earthworms inside beds. Ten earthworms per kg paper mill wastes–saw dust–cow dung mixture (1:0.5:0.5 weight wise) was found as optimum earthworm population for preparing quality vermicompost having more major and secondary plant nutrients. Bioassay of this manure on wheat seedlings also confirmed the analytical findings.ConclusionIt is confirmed that earthworm population in vermibed played vital role in faster decomposition of paper mill wastes and releasing of more nutrients, which ultimately helped in better growth of wheat seedlings. Successful demonstration of vermicomposting technique will encourage local farmers for beneficial utilization of paper mill wastes in their agriculture.

Uptake and Retention of Nanoplastics in Quagga Mussels.

Here, a set of experiments to assess the feasibility of using an invasive and widespread freshwater mussel (Dreissena rostrformis bugensis) as a sentinel species for nanoplastic detection is reported. Under laboratory experimental conditions, mussels ingest and retain fluorescent polystyrene (PS) beads with carboxylic acid (—COOH) termination over a size range of 200–2000 nm. The number of beads the mussels ingested is quantified using fluorescence spectroscopy and the location of the beads in the mussels is imaged using fluorescence microscopy. PS beads of similar size (1000–2000 nm) to mussels' preferred food are trafficked in the ciliated food grooves of the gills. Beads of all sizes are observed in the mussels' digestive tracts, indicating that the mussels do not efficiently reject the beads as unwanted foreign material, regardless of size. Fluorescence microscopy shows all sizes of beads are concentrated in the siphons and are retained there for longer than one month postexposure. Combined atomic force microscopy–infrared spectroscopy and photothermal infrared spectroscopy are used to locate, image, and chemically identify the beads in the mussel siphons. In sum, these experiments demonstrate the potential for using mussels, specifically their siphons, to monitor environmental accumulation of aquatic nanoplastics.

PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL-3 KINASE (PI3-KINASE) HAS A PROTECTIVE ROLE IN ANGIOTENSIN II-INDUCED PODOCYTE INJURY

Objective: PI3-kinase has distinct roles in cellular processes spanning from metabolism to cell motility and survival. Angiotensin II (Ang II) promotes the development and progression of proteinuria and renal diseases and induces podocyte apoptosis. CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) in podocytes, anchoring slit diaphragm proteins to actin filaments of podocyte cytoskeleton, facilitates the nephrin-induced phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-kinase)/AKT signaling, which protects podocytes from apoptosis. Autophagy and apoptosis constitute the two processes through which injured/aged cells or organelles are eliminated. Autophagy is a highly regulated catabolic process that is involved in the turnover of unwanted cellular materials, on the other hand, apoptosis removes damaged or unwanted cells. We investigated the role of PI3-kinase in angiotensin II-induced podocyte injury. Design and method: Mouse podocytes were incubated in media containing various concentrations of Ang II and at different incubation times. Cell survival/death-modifying reagents and Atg5 siRNA were applied. The changes of podocyte autophagy and apoptosis were observed by confocal imaging, western blotting, FACS and TUNEL assay according to the presence of Ang II. Results: Ang II-treated podocytes showed an increase in autophagosomes compared with control cells at early phase in a dose-dependent manner. This pro-autophagic effect of Ang II was inhibited by pretreatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an inhibitor of PI3-kinase class III. Atg5 siRNA reduced LC3 puncta levels and increased the number of apoptotic podocytes over that observed with Ang II treatment at 12 hours. Thereafter, Ang II induced podocyte apoptosis at later stages, 12 and 24 hours in concentration- and time-dependent manners in FACS and TUNEL assays. PI3-kinase inhibitors, 3-MA and LY294002, and Atg5 siRNA further increased Ang II-induced podocyte apoptosis. Thereafter, Ang II induced podocyte apoptosis significantly in concentration- and time-dependent manners in FACS and TUNEL assays. Therefore, autophagy precedes apoptosis for cytoprotection in angiotensin II-induced podocyte injury. Conclusions: We suggest that PI3-kinase have a protective role in Ang II-induced podocyte injury by promoting autophagy and suppressing apoptosis.

Radial basis neural tree model for improving waste recovery process in a paper industry

AbstractIn this article, we propose a novel hybridization of regression trees (RTs) and radial basis function networks, namely, radial basis neural tree model, for waste recovery process (WRP) improvement in a paper industry. As a by‐product of the paper manufacturing process, a lot of waste along with valuable fibers and fillers come out from the paper machine. The WRP involves separating the unwanted materials from the valuable ones so that the recovered fibers and fillers can be further reused in the production process. This job is done by fiber‐filler recovery equipment (FFRE). The efficiency of FFRE depends on several crucial process parameters, and monitoring them is a difficult proposition. The proposed model can be useful to find the essential parameters from the set of available data and to perform prediction task to improve WRP efficiency. An idea of parameter optimization along with regularity conditions for the universal consistency of the proposed model is given. The proposed model has the advantages of easy interpretability and excellent performance when applied to the FFRE efficiency improvement problem. Improved waste recovery will help the industry to become environmentally friendly with less ecological damage apart from being cost‐effective.

Emerging role of extracellular vesicles in the regulation of skeletal muscle adaptation.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were initially characterized as "garbage bags" with the purpose of removing unwanted material from cells. It is now becoming clear that EVs mediate intercellular communication between distant cells through a transfer of genetic material, a process important to the systemic adaptation in physiological and pathological conditions. Although speculative, it has been suggested that the majority of EVs that make it into the bloodstream would be coming from skeletal muscle, since it is one of the largest organs in the human body. Although it is well established that skeletal muscle secretes peptides (currently known as myokines) into the bloodstream, the notion that skeletal muscle releases EVs is in its infancy. Besides intercellular communication and systemic adaptation, EV release could represent the mechanism by which muscle adapts to certain stimuli. This review summarizes the current understanding of EV biology and biogenesis and current isolation methods and briefly discusses the possible role EVs have in regulating skeletal muscle mass.

Signal Exchange through Extracellular Vesicles in Neuromuscular Junction Establishment and Maintenance: From Physiology to Pathology.

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation involves morphological changes both in motor terminals and muscle membrane. The molecular mechanisms leading to NMJ formation and maintenance have not yet been fully elucidated. During the last decade, it has become clear that virtually all cells release different types of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which can be taken up by nearby or distant cells modulating their activity. Initially, EVs were associated to a mechanism involved in the elimination of unwanted material; subsequent evidence demonstrated that exosomes, and more in general EVs, play a key role in intercellular communication by transferring proteins, lipids, DNA and RNA to target cells. Recently, EVs have emerged as potent carriers for Wnt, bone morphogenetic protein, miRNA secretion and extracellular traveling. Convincing evidence demonstrates that presynaptic terminals release exosomes that are taken up by muscle cells, and these exosomes can modulate synaptic plasticity in the recipient muscle cell in vivo. Furthermore, recent data highlighted that EVs could also be a potential cause of neurodegenerative disorders. Indeed, mutant SOD1, TDP-43 and FUS/TLS can be secreted by neural cells packaged into EVs and enter in neighboring neural cells, contributing to the onset and severity of the disease.

Empirical Framework of Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) with Material Identification Capability to Improve Recycling

Recycling is one of the important approaches to manage the waste effectively. Nowadays, many recycle bins were placed in school, university, shopping complex and housing area. Although most of them have good awareness to support these activities, yet there are still who abuse the usage of recycling bin by inserting prohibited items. To cater such an issue, a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) with material identification module is proposed to accept only empty recycle items and reject the rest. The constructed system consists of rotating mechanism and collection of sensors to detect empty PET bottle and aluminum can respectively. From the experiment, it can be shown that the module capable to reject unwanted material with an average of 82.5% of accuracy. Such capability shows a promising outcome for preventing the abuse of recycling bins, and can be used to realize the RVM concept by introducing a reward to the person who recycle properly.

Crohn’s Disease: Potential Drugs for Modulation of Autophagy

Autophagy is an intracellular process whereby cytoplasmic constituents are degraded within lysosomes. Autophagy functions to eliminate unwanted or damaged materials such as proteins and organelles as their accumulation would be harmful to the cellular system. Autophagy also acts as a defense mechanism against invading pathogens and plays an important role in innate and adaptive immunity. In physiological processes, autophagy is involved in the regulation of tissue development, differentiation and remodeling, which are essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Recent studies have demonstrated that autophagy is linked to various diseases and involved in pathophysiological roles, such as adaptation during starvation, anti-aging, antigen presentation, tumor suppression and cell death. The modulation of autophagy has shown greatest promise in Crohn’s disease as most of autophagy drugs involved in these diseases are currently under clinical trials and some has been approved by Food and Drug Administration. This review article discusses autophagy and potential drugs that are currently available for its modulation in Crohn’s disease.

A novel distribution-free hybrid regression model for manufacturing process efficiency improvement

This work is motivated by a particular problem of a modern paper manufacturing industry, in which the maximum efficiency of the fiber-filler recovery process is desired. A lot of unwanted materials along with valuable fibers and fillers come out as a by-product of the paper manufacturing process and mostly goes out as waste. The job of an efficient Krofta supracell is to separate the unwanted materials from the valuable ones so that fibers and fillers can be collected from the waste materials and reused in the manufacturing process. The efficiency of Krofta depends on several critical process parameters and monitoring them is a difficult proposition. To solve this problem, we propose a novel hybridization of regression trees (RT) and artificial neural networks (ANN), namely hybrid RT-ANN model, to solve the problem of low recovery percentage of the supracell. This model is used to achieve the goal of improving supracell efficiency, viz., gain in percentage recovery. Also, theoretical results for the universal consistency of the proposed model are given with the optimal value of a vital model parameter. Experimental findings show that the proposed hybrid RT-ANN model achieves higher accuracy in predicting Krofta recovery percentage than other conventional regression models for solving the Krofta efficiency problem. This work will help the paper manufacturing company to become environmentally friendly with minimal ecological damage and improvement in their waste recovery process.

A comprehensive review of micro-grinding: emphasis on toolings, performance analysis, modeling techniques, and future research directions

Micro-grinding is a tool based mechanical micromachining process which is mostly applied to create and finish 3D micro-features on hard and brittle materials such as glass, silicon, alumina, etc. Miniature-sized abrasive tool comes in physical contact with the workpiece and removes the unwanted material with mostly nanometric undeformed chip thickness and hence can achieve ductile mode cutting. Electroplated and metal bonded sintered abrasive tools are the most researched micro-grinding tools in terms of their fabrication techniques evolution, design modification, and processing of different materials. In the last decade, researchers have thoroughly investigated the micro-grinding process mechanics and identified different issues along with controlling strategies to improve the process performance. Through experimental and analytical studies, it was shown that process performance could be improved through proper tool modifications, optimum selection of process parameters, proper lubrication media, and most importantly by the development of dedicated machine tools. This paper describes the micro-grinding process mechanism considering tool-workpiece interaction. Thereafter, a comprehensive review on micro-grinding tool manufacturing technologies, issues and controlling strategies, proper machining parameter selection, modeling techniques, and micro-feature generation in various materials is presented. After critical examination of the state of the art of this process, challenges, and limitations in the process establishment and applications are derived. Future research scopes in different aspects of the said process are suggested so as to multiply the process utility.

Extracellular vesicles in renal physiology and clinical applications for renal disease.

Many cells in the nephron release extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs envelop nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. The surfaces of EVs express donor cell-specific markers, ligands, and major histocompatibility complex molecules. They are involved in cell-to-cell communication, immune modulation, and the removal of unwanted materials from cells. EVs have been studied as biomarkers of specific diseases and have potential therapeutic applications. Recent research has emphasized the functions of EVs in the kidney. This review provides an overview of recent findings related to the roles of EVs in the nephron, and their utility as biomarkers and therapeutic factors in renal disease.

Sulfated Fly‐Ash Catalyzed Biodiesel Production from Maize Acid Oil Feedstock: A Comparative Study of Taguchi and Box‐Behnken Design

AbstractIn the present investigation, the waste utilization approach has been followed for the bioenergy production. The focus is on the fly ash utilization for the development of heterogeneous catalyst synthesis under solvent‐free conditions. The fly ash is one of the environmental pollutant and unwanted material in thermal power plants. The sulfated fly ash (SFA) catalyst is synthesized by the sulfonation of waste fly ash. This catalyst has been characterized by various analysis such as elemental, thermal, spectral, surface area, acidity and basicity etc. The catalyst has been found to exhibit various phases such as Quartz, Mullite, Hematite, Lime etc. and thermally stable upto 550 °C. The results obtained from NH3‐TPD and CO2‐TPD analysis, confirms the presence of acid (0.401 mmol / g) and basic (0.197 mmol / g) sites in the SFA catalyst. Further, the utility of SFA catalyst has been demonstrated in the biodiesel production via esterification reaction from maize acid oil (MAO) feedstock containing high free fatty acid (FFA) (127.21 mg KOH / g). The maize acid oil is one of the biowaste feedstock, mainly a by‐product obtained from the refining of crude maize oil. Taguchi method and Box‐Behnken Design (BBD) have been applied to investigate the effect of different reaction parameters on the biodiesel production. The use of SFA catalyst has been found to be advantageous especially, in the biodiesel production from feedstock with high FFA content.

Fabrication of a Micro/Nano-Net Membrane Using Cellulose Nanocrystals Derived from Seaweed.

We have successfully extracted cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from seaweed by removing unwanted materials via our modified process. The prepared CNCs were mixed with two biocompatible polymers (polyethylene oxide (PEO)/Eudragit S100). We used the most popular electrospinning method to fabricate a micro/nano-net membrane. The formation of nano-webs between fundamental micro/nanofibers was observed via SEM and TEM, according to the mixing ratio of the solution (PEO:Eudragit: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 wt:wt%) with 0, 5, 10% CNCs per polymer weight. We found the optimal condition to fabricate nano-net in the membrane and expect it to be applicable for wound healing, tissue engineering, and various filter applications.

Corrosion Behaviour and Microhardness during Dry and Flood Milling of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy

Milling process is the removal of unwanted materials so as to produce the required shape. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of milling process parameters and the cooling technique on corrosion behaviour and microhardness of TI-6AL-4V. Milling of Ti-6Al-4V was carried out using tungsten carbide cutting tool while varying spindle speed (120,150, and 180 rev/min), depth of cut (1, 1.5 and 2 mm) and the feed rate remained unchanged at 4.6 mm/min. Subsequent to milling, characterization of subsurface microhardness and corrosion behaviour was conducted. It was found that varying spindle speed and depth of cut had an impact on microhardness. Furthermore, it was noticed that the type of milling condition (flood and dry milling) affected the subsurface microhardness and the corrosion behavior. The corrosion resistance of the milled surface was generated at 180 rev/min and 150 rev/min for the dry and flood milling respectively. Furthermore, the most corrosion resistance was obtained at 2 mm and 1.5 mm depth of cut during dry and flood milling respectively.

The trilemma of waste-to-energy: A multi-purpose solution

This paper explores the multi-purpose nature of Waste-to-Energy (WtE), which adheres to three different policies in the EU: 1) waste management; 2) energy union; 3) air quality/climate change. While WtE is subject to different EU policies and must comply with different sets of EU regulatory frameworks, the policies are largely intertwined and share common objectives enabling the achievement of a sustainable European future via the circular economy. With support from the theoretical foundation for the potential to unite climate, energy, and environmental justice, the paper calls for a streamlined policy in the context of WtE. The paper also highlights the value of this linkage from a practical perspective illustrating how these different policies could be bridged through the new technology - the patented micro-scale Home Energy Recovery Unit (HERU), which has been invented to process all unwanted domestic materials and generate energy for the household.

Sustainable Incremental Organizational Change—A Case of the Textile and Apparel Industry

The article is aimed at working out a comprehensive perspective on sustainable incremental change in organizations from a practice-based approach. That perspective presents everyday routine organizational practices as loci of sustainable organizational change. The research conducted reveals sustainability aspects that influence incremental change in the product development cycle in textile and apparel enterprises. The short life cycle of textile and apparel products challenges the multiplicity of sustainability aspects in that industry. The sequential procedure of mixing quantitative and qualitative methods was applied. A quantitative study was followed by qualitative research that was aimed at gaining an idiographic perspective. The statistical procedure was applied to determine the associative relationships between sustainable dynamizing factors and practice variability in textile and apparel enterprises. The influence factors were further explored as part of in-depth qualitative research. The qualitative research referred to three main aspects of sustainable practices at the initial production stage (sustainable water use), the last stages of the textile and garment life cycle (disposal and recycling of unwanted materials), and value (co)creation in the apparel industry. The results put emphasis on spontaneous vs. purposive activities in sustainable practice.

Biowastes to augment the essential oil production of Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea robusta in low-fertility soil

Biowastes are unwanted materials of biological origin. They include biosolids, dairy shed effluent, and sawdust. When applied to soil, biowastes can provide plant nutrients, but also introduce heavy metals, pathogens, or xenobiotics. Biowastes could improve degraded or low-fertility soils and generate revenue through the production of non-food products such as essential oils. We grew New Zealand native plants, mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium J.R. Forst & G. Forst) and kānuka (Kunzea robusta de Lange & Toelken) in series of greenhouse experiments in low-to-medium-fertility soils (Bideford clay loam, Lismore stony silt loam, and Pawson silt loam) amended with either biosolids (up to 13500 kg N ha−1 equiv.), biosolids + sawdust (1:0.5–1250 kg N ha−1 equiv.) and dairy shed effluent (200 kg N ha−1 equiv.). Two types of biosolids from Kaikoura (KB) and Christchurch City Council (CB) were used in the experiments. CB (1500 kg N ha−1 equiv.) and dairy shed effluent (200 kg N ha−1 equiv.) increased the biomass of L. scoparium by up to 120% and 31%, and K. robusta by up to 170% and 34%, respectively. Adding sawdust to KB increased the biomass of L. scoparium and K. robusta although it offset the L. scoparium growth increase in the KB-only treatment. The growth response of K. robusta to biowastes was greater than L. scoparium with oil production in K. robusta increasing by up to 211% when 1500 kg N ha−1 equiv. of CB was applied to Lismore stony silt loam. Generally, the treatments had a negligible effect on oil concentration in all the soil types, except for the KB + sawdust treatment, which increased the oil concentration by 82%. Most of the EOs’ major components were unaffected by biowaste addition in the soils, although some components increased in the Bideford clay loam following KB and KB + sawdust application. Biosolids increased foliar concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Cd, but these were below risk-threshold concentrations. Applying CB (up to 1500 kg N ha−1 equiv.) to low-fertility soils is recommended to establish ecosystems dominated by L. scoparium and K. robusta that annually would produce ca. 100 kg ha−1 of EOs worth US$ 26k and 24k, respectively. Adding sawdust to CB could have environmental benefits through reduction of N leaching. Field trials are warranted to elucidate critical ecological variables and production economics in biowaste management.

The researcher’s transference in psychoanalytically informed qualitative research

ABSTRACTThis article sets out to explore the researcher’s transference in psychoanalytically informed qualitative research. To this end, it is suggested the researcher’s transference is a) rooted in the past/childhood experiences and events and b) occurs in all research activities, such as interviews. The researcher’s transference may have some elements of unresolved or unsymbolized psychological issues that are transferred to the research process. Such transference may manifest in the research as a) expulsion of unwanted psychic material into the research process, as in projective identification; b) a form of unconscious communication (not necessarily unwanted unconscious content); c) a way to displace unwanted psychic material onto the research (projection); or d) a combination of these psychic dynamics. The term “the researcher’s transferential implant” is introduced to capture these transferential dynamics. Finally, a suggestion as to how to methodologically work with the researcher’s transference is offered.

Fouling and fouling mitigation of calcium compounds on heat exchangers by novel colloids and surface modifications

AbstractFouling is the accumulation of unwanted materials on surfaces that causes detrimental effects on its function. The accumulated materials can be composed of living organisms (biofouling), nonliving substances (inorganic and/or organic), or a combination of both of them. Mineral fouling occurs when a process uses cooling water supersaturated with mineral salt crystals (i.e. hard water). Precipitation ensues on heat transfer surfaces whenever the inversely soluble dissolved calcium salt ions are exposed to high temperature. Mineral salts, dirt, waxes, biofilms, whey proteins, etc. are common deposits on the heat exchanger surfaces, and they create thermal resistance and increase pressure drop and maintenance costs of plants. Fouling of dissolved salts and its mitigation have been studied in detail by varying process parameters, surface materials, coatings on surfaces, additives, etc. by many researchers. In the present stage, researchers have considered polymeric additives, environmental friendly nanoparticles, natural fibers, and thermal conductive coatings (metallic and polymeric) in the study of mitigation of fouling. A better understanding of the problem and the mechanisms that lead to the accumulation of deposits on surfaces will provide opportunities to reduce or even eliminate the problem in certain situations. The present review study has focused on fouling phenomena, environment of fouling, heat exchanger fouling in design, and mitigation of fouling. The findings could support in developing the improved heat exchanger material surfaces, retain efficiency of the heat exchangers, and prolong their continuous operation.

Abiotic stress and self-destruction: ZmATG8 and ZmATG12 gene transcription and osmotic stress responses in maize

Water deficit is one of the most important stresses affecting the maize crop. Whilst the development of osmotic stress tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes is an effective approach for reducing yield losses, understanding of the basic mechanisms of response and tolerance is limited. Under normal conditions, autophagy works at baseline levels to maintain cellular homeostasis. However, under abiotic stress conditions, this process intensifies to remove damaged or unwanted cytoplasmic materials or to recycle materials to provide anabolic substrates and metabolites to cells. This process is mediated by ATG genes (AuTophaGy-related genes). Autophagosome expansion and maturation is mediated by ATG8 and ATG12 ubiquitin-like conjugation systems. In this sense, the aim of this study was to characterize the regulation and transcriptional profile of the ZmATG8 gene and isoforms, together with the ZmATG12 gene, in maize landrace seedlings under osmotic stress conditions. A difference in transcript profile was observed between two studied landraces, with higher transcript accumulation in landrace Argentino Amarelo, which was more affected by osmotic stress. Under the stress conditions, all ZmATG genes studied showed an increase in transcript accumulation in shoot tissues in this landrace. In contrast, for landrace Taquarão a reduction in gene expression was detected, with the exception of ZmATG8b. For root tissues under stress, landrace Argentino Amarelo showed an increase in transcript accumulation for the ZmATG genes, with the exception of ZmATG8b, whilst for landrace Taquarão an increase in expression of ZmATG8e and ZmATG12 was observed, with a reduced expression of ZmATG8c. The ZmATG genes presented cis-regulatory elements involved in osmotic stress response via abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent and ABA-independent signaling. As such, it is suggested that the known transcription factors involved in the osmotic stress signaling response may act in the regulation of ZmATG genes. This work provides evidence of autophagy transcriptional signaling in response to osmotic stress in maize.