Electrodialysis with Bipolar Membranes to valorise saline waste streams: Analysing the fate of valuable minor elements.

Brine mining can represent a valuable non-conventional resource for the extraction of Mg, Li, B, Sr and other Trace Elements (TEs) such as Rb, Cs, whose recoveries require chemical reagents such as alkaline and acidic solutions. In a circular strategy, these required chemicals can be produced in-situ through Electrodialysis with Bipolar Membranes (EDBM). In this work, a laboratory EDBM unit was operated using real brines from Trapani saltworks to investigate, for the first time, the migration of minor and trace ions, as Li, B, Sr, Cs and Rb through ion-exchange membranes (IEMs).

Socioeconomic inequalities in COVID-19 infection and vaccine uptake among children and adolescents in Catalonia, Spain: a population-based cohort study.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the relationship between deprivation, as measured by a socioeconomic deprivation index (SDI) score for census tract urban areas, and COVID-19 infections and vaccine uptake among children and adolescents before and after the vaccination rollout in Catalonia, Spain.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using primary care records. Individuals were followed 3 months before the start of the vaccination campaign in Spain and 3 months after.

Blending as a sample preparation protocol for mitigating intra- and inter-fruit heterogeneity in sensory analysis of sweetness and acidity in tomatoes.

Tomato sensory analysis typically involves assessing different fruits, and the inherent intra- and inter-fruit variability poses experimental challenges. To address this, blending emerges as a sampling protocol to minimize panelist experimental error. This study delves into intra-(locule/pericarp) and inter-fruit heterogeneity, examining the efficacy of blended samples in assessing sweetness and acidity.

A Novel non-invasive optical framework for simultaneous analysis of contractility and calcium in single-cell cardiomyocytes.

The use of a video method based on the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) algorithm from experimental mechanics to estimate the displacements, strain field, and sarcolemma length in a beating single-cell cardiomyocyte is proposed in this work. The obtained deformation is then correlated with the calcium signal, from calcium imaging where fluorescent dyes sensitive to calcium Ca are used. Our proposed video-based method for simultaneous contraction and intracellular calcium analysis results in a low-cost, non-invasive, and label-free method.

Biofilm Prevention and Removal in Non-Target Strain by -like Coliphage.

Bacteriophages have gained significant interest as a potential solution to combat harmful bacteria, especially in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. With the rise in drug-resistant microorganisms, the medical community is increasingly exploring new alternatives to traditional antibiotics, and bacteriophages offer several advantages in this regard. However, phage applications still face some challenges, such as host specificity.

Sustainable urban water management: Evaluating two pilot-scale advanced decentralized treatment systems for removal of organic contaminants of emerging concern in reclaimed groundwater.

The rapid growth of population and the effects of climate change have placed unprecedented pressure on urban water supplies and pollution control. Consequently, it is essential to explore new local water resources in water-strained areas. To this end, this work focuses on evaluating pollutant removal effectiveness of decentralized treatment systems for groundwater reclamation.

The ambivalent role of graphene oxide in anaerobic digestion: A review.

The capability of graphene oxide (GO) to enhance direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) and improve anaerobic digestion (AD) performance is gaining attention in AD literature. The present review discusses the implications of GO and its ambivalent role in AD. Under anaerobic conditions, GO is rapidly converted to biologically reduced graphene oxide (bioRGO) through microbial respiration.

Selective separation of light and heavy rare earth elements from acidic mine waters by integration of chelating ion exchange and ligand impregnated resin.

This study addresses the potential of sourcing Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) using Acidic Mine Waters (AMWs) as a secondary resource. AMWs, often viewed as waste, contain valuable metals like zinc and copper, as well as critical metals like magnesium and cobalt. Moreover, recent studies also reported the presence of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) at concentrations (mg/L) that make their extraction both technically and economically viable.

Impact Testing in Implant-Supported Prostheses and Natural Teeth: A Systematic Review of Properties and Performance.

Dental implants offer an effective solution for partial and total edentulism, but mechanical and biological complications exist. Furthermore, high occlusal loads challenge implants and lead to potential failures. This review focuses on impact testing in contrast to incremental and static tests, an underexplored aspect of assessing daily loads on implants, bringing to light potential complications.

How artificial intelligence is transforming nephrology.

Current research in nephrology is increasingly focused on elucidating the complexity inherent in tightly interwoven molecular systems and their correlation with pathology and related therapeutics, including dialysis and renal transplantation. Rapid advances in the omics sciences, medical device sensorization, and networked digital medical devices have made such research increasingly data centered. Data-centric science requires the support of computationally powerful and sophisticated tools able to handle the overflow of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Sustainable Electromagnetic Prototype for Detecting Internal Deterioration in Building Walls.

The aim of this study was to develop a sustainable electromagnetic prototype to detect the interior deterioration of walls in buildings in order to mitigate uncertainty as it is a challenge to observe the interior state of walls without utilising destructive procedures. The method used was experimental, developmental and quantitative in its approach. The inductance, electric current, modulated frequency and power of the electromagnetic field were used to penetrate the constructed specimens, which were built of materials such as concrete, brick, adobe, plaster and fine sand and had walls with a thickness of less than 300 millimetres.

From 'Farm to Fork': Exploring the Potential of Nutrient-Rich and Stress-Resilient Emergent Crops for Sustainable and Healthy Food in the Mediterranean Region in the Face of Climate Change Challenges.

In the dynamic landscape of agriculture and food science, incorporating emergent crops appears as a pioneering solution for diversifying agriculture, unlocking possibilities for sustainable cultivation and nutritional bolstering food security, and creating economic prospects amid evolving environmental and market conditions with positive impacts on human health. This review explores the potential of utilizing emergent crops in Mediterranean environments under current climate scenarios, emphasizing the manifold benefits of agricultural and food system diversification and assessing the impact of environmental factors on their quality and consumer health. Through a deep exploration of the resilience, nutritional value, and health impacts of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) such as quinoa, amaranth, chia, moringa, buckwheat, millet, teff, hemp, or desert truffles, their capacity to thrive in the changing Mediterranean climate is highlighted, offering novel opportunities for agriculture and functional food development.

Towards climate neutrality in the Spanish N-fertilizer sector: A study based on radiative forcing.

Agricultural systems in the 21st Century face the double challenge of achieving climate neutrality while maintaining food security. Synthetic fertilizers rich in nitrogen (N-fertilizers) boost agricultural production at the expense of increasing climate impact. Public policies, such as the Farm-to-Fork (F2F) Strategy, aim to reduce the extensive use of N-fertilizers with the ultimate goal of achieving a climate neutral European Union (EU).

Phosphorus-Based Flame-Retardant Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Copolymer with Enhanced Mechanical Properties by Combining Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Silicone Rubber and Ethylene Methyl Acrylate Copolymer.

The present work proposes to investigate the effect of an ultrahigh molecular weight silicone rubber (UHMW-SR) and two ethylene methyl acrylate copolymers (EMA) with different methyl acrylate (MA) content on the mechanical and fire performance of a fireproof acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) composite, with an optimum amount of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and aluminum diethyl phosphinate (AlPi). ABS formulations with a global flame retardant weight content of 20 wt.% (ABS P) were melt-compounded, with and without EMA and UHMW-SR, in a Brabender mixer.

Enhancing char formation of flame retardant epoxy composites: Onigiri-like ZIF-67 modification with carboxymethyl β-cyclodextrin crosslinking.

To enhance char formation of flame retardant epoxy (EP) composites, carboxymethyl β-cyclodextrin (CM-β-CD) is employed as an etchant for or ZIF-67 derivatives. In the early stage, etching plays a dominant role. The mismatch in size between CM-β-CD opening and ZIF-67 pore leads to the stacking of carboxyl cobalt complexes on the shell.

Selective recovery of boron, cobalt, gallium and germanium from seawater solar saltworks brines using N-methylglucamine sorbents: Column operation performance.

The European Union (EU) identified a list of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) crucial for its economy, aiming to find alternative sources. Seawater is a promising option as it contains almost all elements, although most at low concentrations. However, to the present, the CRMs' recovery from seawater is technically and economically unfeasible.

Kinematic Analysis of Human Gait in Healthy Young Adults Using IMU Sensors: Exploring Relevant Machine Learning Features for Clinical Applications.

Background: Gait is the manner or style of walking, involving motor control and coordination to adapt to the surrounding environment. Knowing the kinesthetic markers of normal gait is essential for the diagnosis of certain pathologies or the generation of intelligent ortho-prostheses for the treatment or prevention of gait disorders. The aim of the present study was to identify the key features of normal human gait using inertial unit (IMU) recordings in a walking test.

A Gas-Steamed Route to Mesoporous Open Metal-Organic Framework Cages Enhancing Flame Retardancy and Smoke Suppression of Polyurea.

Up to now, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with open nanostructures have shown outstanding capabilities in trapping smoke particles compared to the original MOFs. However, only a few MOF-based strategies have been reported to synthesize hierarchical porous cages thus far, which are mainly restricted to environmentally unfriendly wet-chemical liquid methods. Herein, as a proof-of-concept, a gas-steamed metal-organic framework approach was designed to fabricate a series of cheeselike open cages with hierarchical porosity.

Advances in the Use of Deep Learning for the Analysis of Magnetic Resonance Image in Neuro-Oncology.

Machine Learning is entering a phase of maturity, but its medical applications still lag behind in terms of practical use. The field of oncological radiology (and neuro-oncology in particular) is at the forefront of these developments, now boosted by the success of Deep-Learning methods for the analysis of medical images. This paper reviews in detail some of the most recent advances in the use of Deep Learning in this field, from the broader topic of the development of Machine-Learning-based analytical pipelines to specific instantiations of the use of Deep Learning in neuro-oncology; the latter including its use in the groundbreaking field of ultra-low field magnetic resonance imaging.

Microwave-assisted extraction with natural deep eutectic solvents for polyphenol recovery from agrifood waste: Mature for scaling-up?

Agrifood industries generate large amounts of waste that may result in remarkable environmental problems, such as soil and water contamination. Therefore, proper waste management and treatment have become an environmental, economic, and social challenge. Most of these wastes are exceptionally rich in bioactive compounds (e.

Sustainability Assessment of Green Ammonia Production To Promote Industrial Decarbonization in Spain.

This article investigates the economic and environmental implications of implementing green ammonia production plants in Spain. To this end, one business-as-usual scenario for gray ammonia production was compared with three green ammonia scenarios powered with different renewable energy sources (i.e.

A comparison of non-negative matrix underapproximation methods for the decomposition of magnetic resonance spectroscopy data from human brain tumors.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is an MR technique that provides information about the biochemistry of tissues in a noninvasive way. MRS has been widely used for the study of brain tumors, both preoperatively and during follow-up. In this study, we investigated the performance of a range of variants of unsupervised matrix factorization methods of the non-negative matrix underapproximation (NMU) family, namely, sparse NMU, global NMU, and recursive NMU, and compared them with convex non-negative matrix factorization (C-NMF), which has previously shown a good performance on brain tumor diagnostic support problems using MRS data.

Enhancing CO separation from N mixtures using hydrophobic porous supports immobilized with tributyl-tetradecyl-phosphonium chloride [P][Cl].

The main obstacles in adopting solvent-based CO capture technology from power plant flue gases at the industrial scale are the energy requirements for solvent regeneration and their toxicity. These challenges can be overcome using new green and more stable ionic liquids (ILs) as solvents for post-combustion CO capture. In the current study, tributyl-tetradecyl-phosphonium chloride [P][Cl] as an IL, was immobilized on hydrophobic porous supports of polypropylene (PP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) at 298 ± 3 K and pressures up to 2 bar.