Against the backdrop of the global push for environmental protection and the reduction of plastic pollution,the research and development of alternatives to daily disposable plastic products such as straws have become ...Against the backdrop of the global push for environmental protection and the reduction of plastic pollution,the research and development of alternatives to daily disposable plastic products such as straws have become a hot topic in the environmental protection field.Traditional plastic straws are difficult to degrade,imposing a severe burden on the environment.Meanwhile,existing alternatives like paper straws and PLA(polylactic acid)straws also have numerous drawbacks.展开更多
The issue of plastic pollutants has become a growing concern.Both microplastics(MPs)(particle size<5 mm)and nanoplastics(NPs)(particle size<1μm)can cause DNA damage,cytotoxicity,and oxidative stress in various ...The issue of plastic pollutants has become a growing concern.Both microplastics(MPs)(particle size<5 mm)and nanoplastics(NPs)(particle size<1μm)can cause DNA damage,cytotoxicity,and oxidative stress in various organisms.The primary known impacts of microplastic/nanoplastic are observed in the liver and respiratory system,leading to hepatotoxicity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Although research on the effects of MPs and NPs on diabetes is still in its early stages,there are potential concerns.This editorial highlights the risk to diabetics from co-exposure to contaminants and MPs/NPs,supported by evidence from animal studies and the various chemical compositions of MPs/NPs.展开更多
This communication looks at the photo-oxidation of polythene and polypropylene plastic bottle tops that are placed on soil in a hot arid environment. The degree of oxidation of the plastic is monitored by FT-IR spectr...This communication looks at the photo-oxidation of polythene and polypropylene plastic bottle tops that are placed on soil in a hot arid environment. The degree of oxidation of the plastic is monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy. It is noted that while different bottle top types photo-oxidize at different rates, all show an appreciable level of oxidation after half a year of exposure to the environment. The oxidation leads to brittleness of the plastic, which leads to fissure formation in bottle tops of little thickness. This leads to fragmentation of the material upon impact, making plastic bottle tops an appreciable source of microplastics.展开更多
The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is a plastic structure that displays modifications at different levels in response to positive stimuli as well as to negative conditions such as brain damage.The latter involves gl...The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is a plastic structure that displays modifications at different levels in response to positive stimuli as well as to negative conditions such as brain damage.The latter involves global alterations,making understanding plastic responses triggered by local damage difficult.One key feature of the dentate gyrus is that it contains a well-defined neurogenic niche,the subgranular zone,and beyond neurogenesis,newly born granule cells may maintain a“young”phenotype throughout life,adding to the plastic nature of the structure.Here,we present a novel experimental model of local brain damage in organotypic entorhino-hippocampal cultures that results in the activation of adjacent newly born granule cells.A small piece of filter paper was placed on the surface of the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus,which evoked a foreign body reaction of astrocytes,along with the activation of local young neurons expressing doublecortin.Forty-eight hours after foreign body placement,the number of doublecortin-immunoreactive cells increased in the subgranular zone in the direct vicinity of the foreign body,whereas overall increased doublecortin immunoreactivity was observed in the granule cell layer and molecular layer of the dentate gyrus.Foreign body placement in the pyramidal layer of the CA1 region evoked a comparable local astroglial reaction but did not lead to an increase in doublecortin-immunoreactive in either the CA1 region or the adjacent dentate gyrus.Seven days after foreign body placement in the dentate gyrus,the increase in doublecortin-immunoreactivity was no longer observed,indicating the transient activation of young cells.However,7 days after foreign body placement,the number of doublecortin-immunoreactive granule cells coimmunoreactive for calbindin was lower than that under the control conditions.As calbindin is a marker for mature granule cells,this result suggests that activated young cells remain at a more immature stage following foreign body placement.Live imaging of retrovirally green fluorescent protein-labeled newly born granule cells revealed the orientation and growth of their dendrites toward the foreign body placement.This novel experimental model of foreign body placement in organotypic entorhino-hippocampal cultures could serve as a valuable tool for studying both glial reactivity and neuronal plasticity,specifically of newly born neurons under controlled in vitro conditions.展开更多
Traditional packaging plastics derived from fossil fuels for perishable foods have caused severe environmental pollution and resource depletion.To promote sustainable development and reduce wastage of perishable produ...Traditional packaging plastics derived from fossil fuels for perishable foods have caused severe environmental pollution and resource depletion.To promote sustainable development and reduce wastage of perishable products,there is a significant challenge in developing biobased packaging plastics that offer excellent preservation,satisfactory mechanical performance,and inherent degradability.In this study,poly(urethane-urea)(PUU)plastics are fabricated using a one-pot polyaddition reaction involving castor oil(CO),tannic acid(TA),lysine-derived ethyl 2,6-diisocyanatohexanoate(LDI),and H2O.The resulting PUU plastics demonstrate a high breaking strength of about 32.7 MPa and a strain at break of ca.102%.Due to the reversibility of hydrogen bonds,PUU plastics can be easily shaped into various forms.They are non-cytotoxic and suitable for food packaging.With a high TA content of ca.38.2 wt%,PUU plastics exhibit excellent antioxidant capacity.Consequently,PUU plastics show outstanding freshness preservation performance,extending the shelf life of cherry tomatoes and winter jujubes for at least 8 days at room temperature.Importantly,PUU plastics can autonomously degrade into non-toxic substances within ca.298 days when buried in soil.展开更多
The deficiencies of popular phthalate plasticizers(ready migration from a polymer matrix into which they have been incorporated,flammability,environmental pollution,human health risks)have stimulated efforts to develo...The deficiencies of popular phthalate plasticizers(ready migration from a polymer matrix into which they have been incorporated,flammability,environmental pollution,human health risks)have stimulated efforts to develop new effective,nonmigrating,low-cost,nontoxic replacements.In the main,these have been based on readilyavailable,nontoxic biobased precursors.Some,including those prepared from plant oils,have been generated from biomaterials themselves.However,the more numerous and generally more effective have been generated from discrete compounds produced from various biomaterials.Several structural features of effective plasticizers have been recognized.Polar functionality is required to assure compatibility with a wide range of polymeric materials,including poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC),the most heavily plasticized polymer.A branched structure greatly enhances the effectiveness of compounds used as plasticizers.An oligomeric structure may strongly limit or prevent migration from a polymer matrix.Hyperbranched oligomers of defined structure derived from the readilyavailable,inexpensive,nontoxic biomonomers,glycerol and adipic acid contain all these features and are excellent plasticizers.They contain ester functionality,are highly branched,and display a large number of end groups,all of which contribute to their effectiveness as plasticizers.展开更多
To better understand the migration behavior of plastic fragments in the environment,development of rapid non-destructive methods for in-situ identification and characterization of plastic fragments is necessary.Howeve...To better understand the migration behavior of plastic fragments in the environment,development of rapid non-destructive methods for in-situ identification and characterization of plastic fragments is necessary.However,most of the studies had focused only on colored plastic fragments,ignoring colorless plastic fragments and the effects of different environmental media(backgrounds),thus underestimating their abundance.To address this issue,the present study used near-infrared spectroscopy to compare the identification of colored and colorless plastic fragments based on partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),extreme gradient boost,support vector machine and random forest classifier.The effects of polymer color,type,thickness,and background on the plastic fragments classification were evaluated.PLS-DA presented the best and most stable outcome,with higher robustness and lower misclassification rate.All models frequently misinterpreted colorless plastic fragments and its background when the fragment thickness was less than 0.1mm.A two-stage modeling method,which first distinguishes the plastic types and then identifies colorless plastic fragments that had been misclassified as background,was proposed.The method presented an accuracy higher than 99%in different backgrounds.In summary,this study developed a novel method for rapid and synchronous identification of colored and colorless plastic fragments under complex environmental backgrounds.展开更多
Neuronal plasticity,the brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally,is essential for learning,memory,and recovery from injuries.In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinso...Neuronal plasticity,the brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally,is essential for learning,memory,and recovery from injuries.In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease,this plasticity is disrupted,leading to cognitive and motor deficits.This review explores the mechanisms of neuronal plasticity and its effect on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Alzheimer's disease features amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles that impair synaptic function,while Parkinson's disease involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons affecting motor control.Enhancing neuronal plasticity offers therapeutic potential for these diseases.A systematic literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed,Scopus,and Google Scholar,focusing on studies of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Data synthesis identified key themes such as synaptic mechanisms,neurogenesis,and therapeutic strategies,linking molecular insights to clinical applications.Results highlight that targeting synaptic plasticity mechanisms,such as long-term potentiation and long-term depression,shows promise.Neurotrophic factors,advanced imaging techniques,and molecular tools(e.g.,clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and optogenetics)are crucial in understanding and enhancing plasticity.Current therapies,including dopamine replacement,deep brain stimulation,and lifestyle interventions,demonstrate the potential to alleviate symptoms and improve outcomes.In conclusion,enhancing neuronal plasticity through targeted therapies holds significant promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases.Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to fully harness the therapeutic potential of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.展开更多
Recently,significant progress has been made in conceptually describing the dynamic aspects of coarse particle entrainment,which has been explored experimentally for open channel flows.The aim of this study is to exten...Recently,significant progress has been made in conceptually describing the dynamic aspects of coarse particle entrainment,which has been explored experimentally for open channel flows.The aim of this study is to extend the application of energy criterion to the low mobility aeolian transport of solids(including both natural sediment and anthropogenic debris such as plastics),ranging from incomplete(rocking)to full(rolling)entrainments.This is achieved by linking particle movements to energetic flow events,which are defined as flow structures with the ability to work on particles,setting them into motion.It is hypothesized that such events should impart sufficient energy to the particles,above a certain threshold value.The concept’s validity is demonstrated experimentally,using a wind tunnel and laser distance sensor to capture the dynamics of an individual target particle,exposed on a rough bed surface.Measurements are acquired at a high spatiotemporal resolution,and synchronously with the instantaneous air velocity at an appropriate distance upwind of the target particle,using a hot film anemometer.This enables the association of flow events with rocking and rolling entrainments.Furthermore,it is shown that rocking and rolling may have distinct energy thresholds.Estimates of the energy transfer efficiency,normalized by the drag coefficient,range over an order of magnitude(from about 0.001 to 0.0048 for rocking,up to about 0.01,for incipient rolling).The proposed event-based theoretical framework is a novel approach to characterizing the energy imparted from the wind to the soil surface and could have potential implications for modelling intermittent creep transport of coarse particles and related aeolian bedforms.展开更多
Current ever-accumulating plastic waste can be considered a significant carbon resource for energy conversion and chemical production.The development of new approaches for upcycling plastic waste through chemical degr...Current ever-accumulating plastic waste can be considered a significant carbon resource for energy conversion and chemical production.The development of new approaches for upcycling plastic waste through chemical degradation may enable circularity and promote closed-loop recycling of carbon sources compared to traditional recycling methods.Zeolite,a widely used solid acid catalyst with high industrial potential in petroleum and biomass refining,has been extensively studied for its role in transforming plastics.In this review,we present an overview of zeolite-based catalytic systems for the chemical recycling of plastic waste and discuss how zeolites could potentially contribute to the future development of a circular economy.To provide a comprehensive understanding,we begin with a brief introduction to zeolites,analyzing their key features and exploring their opportunities as well as challenges in processing plastic waste.Subsequently,we delve into the chemistry of catalytic cracking and tandem catalysis using zeolite-based catalysts on plastics.Overall,we emphasize the importance of intelligent catalyst design and lower-energy pathways to incentivize plastic upcycling while alleviating the burden caused by waste plastics.展开更多
As the main component of electronic products,plastics contain complex and diverse metal additives.Recycling process is not conducive to stable existence of metal additives in electronic plastics.Once the e-waste plast...As the main component of electronic products,plastics contain complex and diverse metal additives.Recycling process is not conducive to stable existence of metal additives in electronic plastics.Once the e-waste plastics enter the environment,they will continue to release harmful metals into environment after aging,causing serious hazards.This study delved into the analysis and comparison of metal content of e-waste plastics,elucidating aging process and metal leaching behavior over a 112-day natural light exposure period.The findings underscored that metal content in recycled plastics surpassed that in their new counterparts.Specifically,Ti content in new plastics remained below 100 mg/kg,while recycled plastics exhibited Ti content surpassing 100 mg/kg threshold.Throughout prolonged natural light exposure,metals such as Zn,Ba and Sb demonstrated a heightened likelihood of release from electronic plastics in comparison to other metals.The aging process during light exposure led to fragmentation of electronic plastics,accompanied by a reduction in particle size.Notably,the particle size reduction was more pronounced in poly acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS)and recycled ABS,experiencing reductions of 40µm and 85µm,respectively.This phenomenon was attributed to the presence of polybutadiene structural units,which proved more susceptible to aging.Along with the breaking of plastics,the ABS plastics released metal species such as Pb,Cd,Ni,Al that had not been detected in other plastics solutions.The collective evidence from this study suggested that ABS and recycled ABS electronic plastics might pose a heightened potential environmental risk compared to other electronic plastics.展开更多
0 INTRODUCTION Microplastics are defined as small plastic debris(1μm-5 mm),which have complex properties of widerange densities(0.05-2.3 g/cm^3),diverse shapes(e.g.,beads,fibers,foam and pellets)and low degradability...0 INTRODUCTION Microplastics are defined as small plastic debris(1μm-5 mm),which have complex properties of widerange densities(0.05-2.3 g/cm^3),diverse shapes(e.g.,beads,fibers,foam and pellets)and low degradability(Harris,2020;Chubarenko et al.,2016).展开更多
The oil and gas industry is increasingly focusing on exploring and developing resources in deep earth layers.At high temperatures,confining pressures,and geostress differences,rock has the mechanical characteristics o...The oil and gas industry is increasingly focusing on exploring and developing resources in deep earth layers.At high temperatures,confining pressures,and geostress differences,rock has the mechanical characteristics of plastic enhancement,which leads to the unclear mechanism of hydraulic fracture expansion.The current fracturing model and construction design lack pertinence,and the fracturing reform is difficult to achieve the expected effect.This paper established a model of elastoplastic hydraulic fracture propagation in deep reservoirs.It considered the enhancement of plasticity by examining the elastoplastic deformation and nonlinear fracturing characteristics of the rock.The results confirmed that the hydraulic fractures in deep reservoirs propagated due to plastic energy dissipation after fracture tip passivation,while the stress concentration declined,which increased propagation resistance.The relationship between geology,engineering factors,degree of plasticity,and fracture propagation is discussed,while the conditions that promote fracture propagation are analyzed to provide theoretical support for deep reservoir fracturing design.展开更多
One of the crucial elements that is directly tied to the quality of living organisms is the quality of the water.How-ever,water quality has been adversely affected by plastic pollution,a global environmental disaster ...One of the crucial elements that is directly tied to the quality of living organisms is the quality of the water.How-ever,water quality has been adversely affected by plastic pollution,a global environmental disaster that has an effect on aquatic life,wildlife,and human health.To prevent these effects,better monitoring,detection,characterisation,quanti-fication,and tracking of aquatic plastic pollution at regional and global scales is urgently needed.Remote sensing tech-nology is regarded as a useful technique,as it offers a promising new and less labour-intensive tool for the detection,quantification,and characterisation of aquatic plastic pollution.The study seeks to supplement to the body of scientific literature by compiling original data on the monitoring of plastic pollution in aquatic environments using remote sensing technology,which can function as a cost saving method for water pollution and risk management in developing nations.This article provides a profound analysis of plastic pollution,including its categories,sources,distribution,chemical properties,and potential risks.It also provides an in-depth review of remote sensing technologies,satellite-derived in-dices,and research trends related to their applicability.Additionally,the study clarifies the difficulties in using remote sensing technologies for aquatic plastic monitoring and practical ways to reduce aquatic plastic pollution.The study will improve the understanding of aquatic plastic pollution,health hazards,and the suitability of remote sensing technology for aquatic plastic contamination monitoring studies among researchers and interested parties.展开更多
Conventional bioplastic production from seaweed often relies on extraction processes that are costly,time-consuming,and yield limited product.This study presents a direct fabrication method using Gracilaria sp.,a red ...Conventional bioplastic production from seaweed often relies on extraction processes that are costly,time-consuming,and yield limited product.This study presents a direct fabrication method using Gracilaria sp.,a red seaweed rich in polysaccharides,to produce bioplastic films without the need for extraction.Sorbitol was incorporated as a plasticizer at concentrations of 0%–10%(w/w)to modify film characteristics.Thermal analysis revealed improved stability at moderate sorbitol levels(5%–7%),while excessive plasticizer slightly reduced thermal resistance.Mechanical testing showed that sorbitol increased film flexibility and elongation at break,though tensile strength and stiffness declined.Tear strength followed a non-linear trend,with improvement observed at higher sorbitol concentrations.Seal strength also increased,peaking at 7%,indicating stronger interfacial bonding between film layers.Biodegradation tests demonstrated accelerated decomposition with increased sorbitol content,achieving complete degradation within 30 days at 10% concentration.Color analysis showed increased brightness and reduced yellowing,enhancing the visual quality of the films.These results confirm that direct conversion of bioplastic is both feasible and effective.Sorbitol plays a key role in tuning film properties,offering a low-cost,scalable pathway to biodegradable materials suitable for environmentally friendly packaging applications.展开更多
In the framework of elastoplastic theory,by introducing dissipative plastic energy(instead of cumulative plastic strain)and dissipative plastic energy rate(instead of cumulative plastic strain rate)into the ratchettin...In the framework of elastoplastic theory,by introducing dissipative plastic energy(instead of cumulative plastic strain)and dissipative plastic energy rate(instead of cumulative plastic strain rate)into the ratchetting parameter evolution equation and isotropic evolution rules respectively,a cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model based on dissipative plastic energy is established.This model,termed the WDP model,describes the physical meaning and evolution rule of the unclosed stress–strain hysteresis loop using an energy method.A comparison of numerical implementation results with experimental data demonstrates the capability of the WDP model to predict the cyclic deformation of EA4T steel,effectively capturing the cyclic softening characteristics and ratchetting behaviors of axle steel EA4T.展开更多
Poly(butylene adipate-terephthalate)(PBAT),as one of the most common and promising biodegradable plastics,has been widely used in agriculture,packaging,and other industries due to its strong biodegradability propertie...Poly(butylene adipate-terephthalate)(PBAT),as one of the most common and promising biodegradable plastics,has been widely used in agriculture,packaging,and other industries due to its strong biodegradability properties.It is well known that PBAT suffers a series of natural weathering,mechanical wear,hydrolysis,photochemical transformation,and other abiotic degradation processes before being biodegraded.Therefore,it is particularly important to understand the role of abiotic degradation in the life cycle of PBAT.Since the abiotic degradation of PBAT has not been systematically summarized,this review aims to summarize the mechanisms and main factors of the three major abiotic degradation pathways(hydrolysis,photochemical transformation,and thermochemical degradation)of PBAT.It was found that all of them preferentially destroy the chemical bonds with higher energy(especially C-O and C=O)of PBAT,which eventually leads to the shortening of the polymer chain and then leads to reduction in molecular weight.The main factors affecting these abiotic degradations are closely related to the energy or PBAT structure.These findings provide important theoretical and practical guidance for identifying effective methods for PBAT waste management and proposing advanced schemes to regulate the degradation rate of PBAT.展开更多
Agricultural practices significantly contribute to greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,necessitating cleaner production technologies to reduce environmental pressure and achieve sustainable maize production.Plastic film mulc...Agricultural practices significantly contribute to greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,necessitating cleaner production technologies to reduce environmental pressure and achieve sustainable maize production.Plastic film mulching is commonly used in the Loess Plateau region.Incorporating slow-release fertilizers as a replacement for urea within this practice can reduce nitrogen losses and enhance crop productivity.Combining these techniques represents a novel agricultural approach in semi-arid areas.However,the impact of this integration on soil carbon storage(SOCS),carbon footprint(CF),and economic benefits has received limited research attention.Therefore,we conducted an eight-year study(2015-2022)in the semi-arid northwestern region to quantify the effects of four treatments[urea supplied without plastic film mulching(CK-U),slow-release fertilizer supplied without plastic film mulching(CK-S),urea supplied with plastic film mulching(PM-U),and slow-release fertilizer supplied with plastic film mulching(PM-S)]on soil fertility,economic and environmental benefits.The results revealed that nitrogen fertilizer was the primary contributor to total GHG emissions(≥71.97%).Compared to other treatments,PM-S increased average grain yield by 12.01%-37.89%,water use efficiency by 9.19%-23.33%,nitrogen accumulation by 27.07%-66.19%,and net return by 6.21%-29.57%.Furthermore,PM-S decreased CF by 12.87%-44.31%and CF per net return by 14.25%-41.16%.After eight years,PM-S increased SOCS(0-40 cm)by 2.46%,while PM-U decreased it by 7.09%.These findings highlight the positive effects of PM-S on surface soil fertility,economic gains,and environmental benefits in spring maize production on the Loess Plateau,underscoring its potential for widespread adoption and application.展开更多
Brain plasticity-A universal tool with many variations:The study of brain plasticity has been gaining interest since almost a century and has now reached a huge amount of information(>80,000 results in PubMed).Over...Brain plasticity-A universal tool with many variations:The study of brain plasticity has been gaining interest since almost a century and has now reached a huge amount of information(>80,000 results in PubMed).Overall,different types of plasticity,including stem cell-driven genesis of new neurons(adult neurogenesis),cells in arrested maturation(dormant neurons),neuro-glial and synaptic plasticity,can coexist and contribute to grant plastic changes in the brain,from a cellular to system level(Benedetti and Couillard-Despres,2022;Bonfanti et al.,2023).展开更多
Cells,tissues,and organs are constantly subjected to the action of mechanical forces from the extracellular environment-and the nervous system is no exception.Cell-intrinsic properties such as membrane lipid compositi...Cells,tissues,and organs are constantly subjected to the action of mechanical forces from the extracellular environment-and the nervous system is no exception.Cell-intrinsic properties such as membrane lipid composition,abundance of mechanosensors,and cytoskeletal dynamics make cells more or less likely to sense these forces.Intrinsic and extrinsic cues are integrated by cells and this combined information determines the rate and dynamics of membrane protrusion growth or retraction(Yamada and Sixt,2019).Cell protrusions are extensions of the plasma membrane that play crucial roles in diverse contexts such as cell migration and neuronal synapse formation.In the nervous system,neurons are highly dynamic cells that can change the size and number of their pre-and postsynaptic elements(called synaptic boutons and dendritic spines,respectively),in response to changes in the levels of synaptic activity through a process called plasticity.Synaptic plasticity is a hallmark of the nervous system and is present throughout our lives,being required for functions like memory formation or the learning of new motor skills(Minegishi et al.,2023;Pillai and Franze,2024).展开更多
文摘Against the backdrop of the global push for environmental protection and the reduction of plastic pollution,the research and development of alternatives to daily disposable plastic products such as straws have become a hot topic in the environmental protection field.Traditional plastic straws are difficult to degrade,imposing a severe burden on the environment.Meanwhile,existing alternatives like paper straws and PLA(polylactic acid)straws also have numerous drawbacks.
基金Supported by Research grant from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital,Linkou,Taiwan,No.CMRPG3N0622.
文摘The issue of plastic pollutants has become a growing concern.Both microplastics(MPs)(particle size<5 mm)and nanoplastics(NPs)(particle size<1μm)can cause DNA damage,cytotoxicity,and oxidative stress in various organisms.The primary known impacts of microplastic/nanoplastic are observed in the liver and respiratory system,leading to hepatotoxicity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Although research on the effects of MPs and NPs on diabetes is still in its early stages,there are potential concerns.This editorial highlights the risk to diabetics from co-exposure to contaminants and MPs/NPs,supported by evidence from animal studies and the various chemical compositions of MPs/NPs.
文摘This communication looks at the photo-oxidation of polythene and polypropylene plastic bottle tops that are placed on soil in a hot arid environment. The degree of oxidation of the plastic is monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy. It is noted that while different bottle top types photo-oxidize at different rates, all show an appreciable level of oxidation after half a year of exposure to the environment. The oxidation leads to brittleness of the plastic, which leads to fissure formation in bottle tops of little thickness. This leads to fragmentation of the material upon impact, making plastic bottle tops an appreciable source of microplastics.
基金funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftungsupported by DFG (SCH W534/6-1 to SWS)
文摘The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is a plastic structure that displays modifications at different levels in response to positive stimuli as well as to negative conditions such as brain damage.The latter involves global alterations,making understanding plastic responses triggered by local damage difficult.One key feature of the dentate gyrus is that it contains a well-defined neurogenic niche,the subgranular zone,and beyond neurogenesis,newly born granule cells may maintain a“young”phenotype throughout life,adding to the plastic nature of the structure.Here,we present a novel experimental model of local brain damage in organotypic entorhino-hippocampal cultures that results in the activation of adjacent newly born granule cells.A small piece of filter paper was placed on the surface of the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus,which evoked a foreign body reaction of astrocytes,along with the activation of local young neurons expressing doublecortin.Forty-eight hours after foreign body placement,the number of doublecortin-immunoreactive cells increased in the subgranular zone in the direct vicinity of the foreign body,whereas overall increased doublecortin immunoreactivity was observed in the granule cell layer and molecular layer of the dentate gyrus.Foreign body placement in the pyramidal layer of the CA1 region evoked a comparable local astroglial reaction but did not lead to an increase in doublecortin-immunoreactive in either the CA1 region or the adjacent dentate gyrus.Seven days after foreign body placement in the dentate gyrus,the increase in doublecortin-immunoreactivity was no longer observed,indicating the transient activation of young cells.However,7 days after foreign body placement,the number of doublecortin-immunoreactive granule cells coimmunoreactive for calbindin was lower than that under the control conditions.As calbindin is a marker for mature granule cells,this result suggests that activated young cells remain at a more immature stage following foreign body placement.Live imaging of retrovirally green fluorescent protein-labeled newly born granule cells revealed the orientation and growth of their dendrites toward the foreign body placement.This novel experimental model of foreign body placement in organotypic entorhino-hippocampal cultures could serve as a valuable tool for studying both glial reactivity and neuronal plasticity,specifically of newly born neurons under controlled in vitro conditions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21935004 and 22350011)。
文摘Traditional packaging plastics derived from fossil fuels for perishable foods have caused severe environmental pollution and resource depletion.To promote sustainable development and reduce wastage of perishable products,there is a significant challenge in developing biobased packaging plastics that offer excellent preservation,satisfactory mechanical performance,and inherent degradability.In this study,poly(urethane-urea)(PUU)plastics are fabricated using a one-pot polyaddition reaction involving castor oil(CO),tannic acid(TA),lysine-derived ethyl 2,6-diisocyanatohexanoate(LDI),and H2O.The resulting PUU plastics demonstrate a high breaking strength of about 32.7 MPa and a strain at break of ca.102%.Due to the reversibility of hydrogen bonds,PUU plastics can be easily shaped into various forms.They are non-cytotoxic and suitable for food packaging.With a high TA content of ca.38.2 wt%,PUU plastics exhibit excellent antioxidant capacity.Consequently,PUU plastics show outstanding freshness preservation performance,extending the shelf life of cherry tomatoes and winter jujubes for at least 8 days at room temperature.Importantly,PUU plastics can autonomously degrade into non-toxic substances within ca.298 days when buried in soil.
文摘The deficiencies of popular phthalate plasticizers(ready migration from a polymer matrix into which they have been incorporated,flammability,environmental pollution,human health risks)have stimulated efforts to develop new effective,nonmigrating,low-cost,nontoxic replacements.In the main,these have been based on readilyavailable,nontoxic biobased precursors.Some,including those prepared from plant oils,have been generated from biomaterials themselves.However,the more numerous and generally more effective have been generated from discrete compounds produced from various biomaterials.Several structural features of effective plasticizers have been recognized.Polar functionality is required to assure compatibility with a wide range of polymeric materials,including poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC),the most heavily plasticized polymer.A branched structure greatly enhances the effectiveness of compounds used as plasticizers.An oligomeric structure may strongly limit or prevent migration from a polymer matrix.Hyperbranched oligomers of defined structure derived from the readilyavailable,inexpensive,nontoxic biomonomers,glycerol and adipic acid contain all these features and are excellent plasticizers.They contain ester functionality,are highly branched,and display a large number of end groups,all of which contribute to their effectiveness as plasticizers.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22276139)the Shanghai’s Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission(No.2022028).
文摘To better understand the migration behavior of plastic fragments in the environment,development of rapid non-destructive methods for in-situ identification and characterization of plastic fragments is necessary.However,most of the studies had focused only on colored plastic fragments,ignoring colorless plastic fragments and the effects of different environmental media(backgrounds),thus underestimating their abundance.To address this issue,the present study used near-infrared spectroscopy to compare the identification of colored and colorless plastic fragments based on partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),extreme gradient boost,support vector machine and random forest classifier.The effects of polymer color,type,thickness,and background on the plastic fragments classification were evaluated.PLS-DA presented the best and most stable outcome,with higher robustness and lower misclassification rate.All models frequently misinterpreted colorless plastic fragments and its background when the fragment thickness was less than 0.1mm.A two-stage modeling method,which first distinguishes the plastic types and then identifies colorless plastic fragments that had been misclassified as background,was proposed.The method presented an accuracy higher than 99%in different backgrounds.In summary,this study developed a novel method for rapid and synchronous identification of colored and colorless plastic fragments under complex environmental backgrounds.
基金financially supported by King Abdulaziz University,Deanship of Scientific Research(DSR)。
文摘Neuronal plasticity,the brain's ability to adapt structurally and functionally,is essential for learning,memory,and recovery from injuries.In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease,this plasticity is disrupted,leading to cognitive and motor deficits.This review explores the mechanisms of neuronal plasticity and its effect on Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Alzheimer's disease features amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles that impair synaptic function,while Parkinson's disease involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons affecting motor control.Enhancing neuronal plasticity offers therapeutic potential for these diseases.A systematic literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed,Scopus,and Google Scholar,focusing on studies of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.Data synthesis identified key themes such as synaptic mechanisms,neurogenesis,and therapeutic strategies,linking molecular insights to clinical applications.Results highlight that targeting synaptic plasticity mechanisms,such as long-term potentiation and long-term depression,shows promise.Neurotrophic factors,advanced imaging techniques,and molecular tools(e.g.,clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and optogenetics)are crucial in understanding and enhancing plasticity.Current therapies,including dopamine replacement,deep brain stimulation,and lifestyle interventions,demonstrate the potential to alleviate symptoms and improve outcomes.In conclusion,enhancing neuronal plasticity through targeted therapies holds significant promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases.Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to fully harness the therapeutic potential of neuronal plasticity in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos.41171005,41071005,12272344,and 12350710176)the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (Grant No.2013CB956000).
文摘Recently,significant progress has been made in conceptually describing the dynamic aspects of coarse particle entrainment,which has been explored experimentally for open channel flows.The aim of this study is to extend the application of energy criterion to the low mobility aeolian transport of solids(including both natural sediment and anthropogenic debris such as plastics),ranging from incomplete(rocking)to full(rolling)entrainments.This is achieved by linking particle movements to energetic flow events,which are defined as flow structures with the ability to work on particles,setting them into motion.It is hypothesized that such events should impart sufficient energy to the particles,above a certain threshold value.The concept’s validity is demonstrated experimentally,using a wind tunnel and laser distance sensor to capture the dynamics of an individual target particle,exposed on a rough bed surface.Measurements are acquired at a high spatiotemporal resolution,and synchronously with the instantaneous air velocity at an appropriate distance upwind of the target particle,using a hot film anemometer.This enables the association of flow events with rocking and rolling entrainments.Furthermore,it is shown that rocking and rolling may have distinct energy thresholds.Estimates of the energy transfer efficiency,normalized by the drag coefficient,range over an order of magnitude(from about 0.001 to 0.0048 for rocking,up to about 0.01,for incipient rolling).The proposed event-based theoretical framework is a novel approach to characterizing the energy imparted from the wind to the soil surface and could have potential implications for modelling intermittent creep transport of coarse particles and related aeolian bedforms.
文摘Current ever-accumulating plastic waste can be considered a significant carbon resource for energy conversion and chemical production.The development of new approaches for upcycling plastic waste through chemical degradation may enable circularity and promote closed-loop recycling of carbon sources compared to traditional recycling methods.Zeolite,a widely used solid acid catalyst with high industrial potential in petroleum and biomass refining,has been extensively studied for its role in transforming plastics.In this review,we present an overview of zeolite-based catalytic systems for the chemical recycling of plastic waste and discuss how zeolites could potentially contribute to the future development of a circular economy.To provide a comprehensive understanding,we begin with a brief introduction to zeolites,analyzing their key features and exploring their opportunities as well as challenges in processing plastic waste.Subsequently,we delve into the chemistry of catalytic cracking and tandem catalysis using zeolite-based catalysts on plastics.Overall,we emphasize the importance of intelligent catalyst design and lower-energy pathways to incentivize plastic upcycling while alleviating the burden caused by waste plastics.
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(No.2021B1515020041)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42277403)+4 种基金the Projects of International Cooperation and Exchange of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC-UNEP)(No:32261143459)the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control(No.2023B1212060002)the Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research(No.2023B0303000024)the High-level University Special Fund(No.G03050K001)the Research Projects of the General Administration of Customs(No.2022HK060)for financial support.
文摘As the main component of electronic products,plastics contain complex and diverse metal additives.Recycling process is not conducive to stable existence of metal additives in electronic plastics.Once the e-waste plastics enter the environment,they will continue to release harmful metals into environment after aging,causing serious hazards.This study delved into the analysis and comparison of metal content of e-waste plastics,elucidating aging process and metal leaching behavior over a 112-day natural light exposure period.The findings underscored that metal content in recycled plastics surpassed that in their new counterparts.Specifically,Ti content in new plastics remained below 100 mg/kg,while recycled plastics exhibited Ti content surpassing 100 mg/kg threshold.Throughout prolonged natural light exposure,metals such as Zn,Ba and Sb demonstrated a heightened likelihood of release from electronic plastics in comparison to other metals.The aging process during light exposure led to fragmentation of electronic plastics,accompanied by a reduction in particle size.Notably,the particle size reduction was more pronounced in poly acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(ABS)and recycled ABS,experiencing reductions of 40µm and 85µm,respectively.This phenomenon was attributed to the presence of polybutadiene structural units,which proved more susceptible to aging.Along with the breaking of plastics,the ABS plastics released metal species such as Pb,Cd,Ni,Al that had not been detected in other plastics solutions.The collective evidence from this study suggested that ABS and recycled ABS electronic plastics might pose a heightened potential environmental risk compared to other electronic plastics.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42277138)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Nos.2024YFF0506803 and 2024YFC2815400)+2 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.202441003 and 202513032)the Shandong Province National-Level Leading Talent Supporting Project(No.2022GJJLJRC-15)the European Commission(Nos.HORIZON MSCA-2024-PF-01,101200637)。
文摘0 INTRODUCTION Microplastics are defined as small plastic debris(1μm-5 mm),which have complex properties of widerange densities(0.05-2.3 g/cm^3),diverse shapes(e.g.,beads,fibers,foam and pellets)and low degradability(Harris,2020;Chubarenko et al.,2016).
基金The Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China,52404027,Jinbo Lithe General Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,52274036,Suling Wang。
文摘The oil and gas industry is increasingly focusing on exploring and developing resources in deep earth layers.At high temperatures,confining pressures,and geostress differences,rock has the mechanical characteristics of plastic enhancement,which leads to the unclear mechanism of hydraulic fracture expansion.The current fracturing model and construction design lack pertinence,and the fracturing reform is difficult to achieve the expected effect.This paper established a model of elastoplastic hydraulic fracture propagation in deep reservoirs.It considered the enhancement of plasticity by examining the elastoplastic deformation and nonlinear fracturing characteristics of the rock.The results confirmed that the hydraulic fractures in deep reservoirs propagated due to plastic energy dissipation after fracture tip passivation,while the stress concentration declined,which increased propagation resistance.The relationship between geology,engineering factors,degree of plasticity,and fracture propagation is discussed,while the conditions that promote fracture propagation are analyzed to provide theoretical support for deep reservoir fracturing design.
文摘One of the crucial elements that is directly tied to the quality of living organisms is the quality of the water.How-ever,water quality has been adversely affected by plastic pollution,a global environmental disaster that has an effect on aquatic life,wildlife,and human health.To prevent these effects,better monitoring,detection,characterisation,quanti-fication,and tracking of aquatic plastic pollution at regional and global scales is urgently needed.Remote sensing tech-nology is regarded as a useful technique,as it offers a promising new and less labour-intensive tool for the detection,quantification,and characterisation of aquatic plastic pollution.The study seeks to supplement to the body of scientific literature by compiling original data on the monitoring of plastic pollution in aquatic environments using remote sensing technology,which can function as a cost saving method for water pollution and risk management in developing nations.This article provides a profound analysis of plastic pollution,including its categories,sources,distribution,chemical properties,and potential risks.It also provides an in-depth review of remote sensing technologies,satellite-derived in-dices,and research trends related to their applicability.Additionally,the study clarifies the difficulties in using remote sensing technologies for aquatic plastic monitoring and practical ways to reduce aquatic plastic pollution.The study will improve the understanding of aquatic plastic pollution,health hazards,and the suitability of remote sensing technology for aquatic plastic contamination monitoring studies among researchers and interested parties.
基金funded by IAEA Coordinated Research Project F22081.
文摘Conventional bioplastic production from seaweed often relies on extraction processes that are costly,time-consuming,and yield limited product.This study presents a direct fabrication method using Gracilaria sp.,a red seaweed rich in polysaccharides,to produce bioplastic films without the need for extraction.Sorbitol was incorporated as a plasticizer at concentrations of 0%–10%(w/w)to modify film characteristics.Thermal analysis revealed improved stability at moderate sorbitol levels(5%–7%),while excessive plasticizer slightly reduced thermal resistance.Mechanical testing showed that sorbitol increased film flexibility and elongation at break,though tensile strength and stiffness declined.Tear strength followed a non-linear trend,with improvement observed at higher sorbitol concentrations.Seal strength also increased,peaking at 7%,indicating stronger interfacial bonding between film layers.Biodegradation tests demonstrated accelerated decomposition with increased sorbitol content,achieving complete degradation within 30 days at 10% concentration.Color analysis showed increased brightness and reduced yellowing,enhancing the visual quality of the films.These results confirm that direct conversion of bioplastic is both feasible and effective.Sorbitol plays a key role in tuning film properties,offering a low-cost,scalable pathway to biodegradable materials suitable for environmentally friendly packaging applications.
基金supported by the Science&Technology Development Fund of Tianjin Education Commission for Higher Education(No.2023KJ250).
文摘In the framework of elastoplastic theory,by introducing dissipative plastic energy(instead of cumulative plastic strain)and dissipative plastic energy rate(instead of cumulative plastic strain rate)into the ratchetting parameter evolution equation and isotropic evolution rules respectively,a cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model based on dissipative plastic energy is established.This model,termed the WDP model,describes the physical meaning and evolution rule of the unclosed stress–strain hysteresis loop using an energy method.A comparison of numerical implementation results with experimental data demonstrates the capability of the WDP model to predict the cyclic deformation of EA4T steel,effectively capturing the cyclic softening characteristics and ratchetting behaviors of axle steel EA4T.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFC3901800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22176041)Guangzhou Science and Technology Planning Project(No.2023A04J0918)。
文摘Poly(butylene adipate-terephthalate)(PBAT),as one of the most common and promising biodegradable plastics,has been widely used in agriculture,packaging,and other industries due to its strong biodegradability properties.It is well known that PBAT suffers a series of natural weathering,mechanical wear,hydrolysis,photochemical transformation,and other abiotic degradation processes before being biodegraded.Therefore,it is particularly important to understand the role of abiotic degradation in the life cycle of PBAT.Since the abiotic degradation of PBAT has not been systematically summarized,this review aims to summarize the mechanisms and main factors of the three major abiotic degradation pathways(hydrolysis,photochemical transformation,and thermochemical degradation)of PBAT.It was found that all of them preferentially destroy the chemical bonds with higher energy(especially C-O and C=O)of PBAT,which eventually leads to the shortening of the polymer chain and then leads to reduction in molecular weight.The main factors affecting these abiotic degradations are closely related to the energy or PBAT structure.These findings provide important theoretical and practical guidance for identifying effective methods for PBAT waste management and proposing advanced schemes to regulate the degradation rate of PBAT.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32071980)the Key Projects of Shaanxi Agricultural Collaborative Innovation and Extension Alliance(No.LMZD202201)+1 种基金the Key R&D Project in Shaanxi Province(No.2021LLRH-07)Shaanxi Natural Scientific Basic Research Program project(No.2022JQ-157).
文摘Agricultural practices significantly contribute to greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,necessitating cleaner production technologies to reduce environmental pressure and achieve sustainable maize production.Plastic film mulching is commonly used in the Loess Plateau region.Incorporating slow-release fertilizers as a replacement for urea within this practice can reduce nitrogen losses and enhance crop productivity.Combining these techniques represents a novel agricultural approach in semi-arid areas.However,the impact of this integration on soil carbon storage(SOCS),carbon footprint(CF),and economic benefits has received limited research attention.Therefore,we conducted an eight-year study(2015-2022)in the semi-arid northwestern region to quantify the effects of four treatments[urea supplied without plastic film mulching(CK-U),slow-release fertilizer supplied without plastic film mulching(CK-S),urea supplied with plastic film mulching(PM-U),and slow-release fertilizer supplied with plastic film mulching(PM-S)]on soil fertility,economic and environmental benefits.The results revealed that nitrogen fertilizer was the primary contributor to total GHG emissions(≥71.97%).Compared to other treatments,PM-S increased average grain yield by 12.01%-37.89%,water use efficiency by 9.19%-23.33%,nitrogen accumulation by 27.07%-66.19%,and net return by 6.21%-29.57%.Furthermore,PM-S decreased CF by 12.87%-44.31%and CF per net return by 14.25%-41.16%.After eight years,PM-S increased SOCS(0-40 cm)by 2.46%,while PM-U decreased it by 7.09%.These findings highlight the positive effects of PM-S on surface soil fertility,economic gains,and environmental benefits in spring maize production on the Loess Plateau,underscoring its potential for widespread adoption and application.
基金supported by Progetto Trapezio,Compagnia di San Paolo(67935-2021.2174)to LB,Fondazione CRT(Cassa di Risparmio di Torino,RF=2022.0618)to LB。
文摘Brain plasticity-A universal tool with many variations:The study of brain plasticity has been gaining interest since almost a century and has now reached a huge amount of information(>80,000 results in PubMed).Overall,different types of plasticity,including stem cell-driven genesis of new neurons(adult neurogenesis),cells in arrested maturation(dormant neurons),neuro-glial and synaptic plasticity,can coexist and contribute to grant plastic changes in the brain,from a cellular to system level(Benedetti and Couillard-Despres,2022;Bonfanti et al.,2023).
基金supported by PTDC-01778/2022-NeuroDev3D,iNOVA4Health(UIDB/04462/2020 and UIDP/04462/2020)LS4FUTURE(LA/P/0087/2020)。
文摘Cells,tissues,and organs are constantly subjected to the action of mechanical forces from the extracellular environment-and the nervous system is no exception.Cell-intrinsic properties such as membrane lipid composition,abundance of mechanosensors,and cytoskeletal dynamics make cells more or less likely to sense these forces.Intrinsic and extrinsic cues are integrated by cells and this combined information determines the rate and dynamics of membrane protrusion growth or retraction(Yamada and Sixt,2019).Cell protrusions are extensions of the plasma membrane that play crucial roles in diverse contexts such as cell migration and neuronal synapse formation.In the nervous system,neurons are highly dynamic cells that can change the size and number of their pre-and postsynaptic elements(called synaptic boutons and dendritic spines,respectively),in response to changes in the levels of synaptic activity through a process called plasticity.Synaptic plasticity is a hallmark of the nervous system and is present throughout our lives,being required for functions like memory formation or the learning of new motor skills(Minegishi et al.,2023;Pillai and Franze,2024).
