Microplastics in dyeing sludge: Whether do they affect sludge incineration?

Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminant detected in dyeing sludge (DS), inevitably affected the subsequent treatment and disposal of DS. However, the effect of MPs on the predominant disposal path (incineration) of DS remains far from explicit. This study used thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS) method to explore the effect of representative MPs, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), on combustion characteristics, gas evolution and kinetics on DS combustion.

Rapid 3D bioprinting of a multicellular model recapitulating pterygium microenvironment.

Pterygium is an ocular surface disorder with high prevalence that can lead to vision impairment. As a pathological outgrowth of conjunctiva, pterygium involves neovascularization and chronic inflammation. Here, we developed a 3D multicellular in vitro pterygium model using a digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D bioprinting platform with human conjunctival stem cells (hCjSCs).

Bioprinting of dual ECM scaffolds encapsulating limbal stem/progenitor cells in active and quiescent statuses.

Limbal stem cell deficiency and corneal disorders are among the top global threats for human vision. Emerging therapies that integrate stem cell transplantation with engineered hydrogel scaffolds for biological and mechanical support are becoming a rising trend in the field. However, methods for high-throughput fabrication of hydrogel scaffolds, as well as knowledge of the interaction between limbal stem/progenitor cells (LSCs) and the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) are still much needed.