Microbial diversity and potential health risks of household municipal solid waste in China: A case study in winter during outbreak of COVID-19

A natural heparinoid from Halaelurus burger skin: Structures and regulation of insulin resistance

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) have garnered increasing attention for improving insulin resistance. In this study, a novel heparinoid, classified under GAGs, was successfully isolated and purified from the skin of Halaelurus burgeri (Hep-hb). The heparinoid exhibited a molecular weight of 258.817 kDa and consisted primarily of GlcpN and GlcpNAc. The structure of Hep-hb was thoroughly characterized using FT-IR, GC-MS, and NMR techniques. It was determined that the backbone is composed of repeated units: [→3)-β-D-GlcpNAc(2S)-(1 → 4)-β-D-GlcpA-(1 → 3)-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1]n→. Additionally, our study aimed to uncover the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of Hep-hb in insulin-resistant mice by analyzing cytokine levels in serum and investigating lipid metabolism differences in vivo. Biochemical indicators were applied to assess model validity and treatment efficacy in mice fed a high-fat diet. Oral administration of Hep-hb demonstrated therapeutic effects on insulin-resistant mice by inhibiting body weight gain and improving lipid metabolism through enhanced thermogenesis. Gut microbial sequencing revealed that treatment with Hep-hb increased intestinal flora diversity while selectively enriching key species such as Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Lachnospiraceae, and Akkermansia，and decreasing Helicobacter, Oscillospiraceae, Colidextribacter, and Erysipeloterichaceae. These findings suggest that Hep-hb holds significant potential as a natural functional food for preventing hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.

Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to predict waste source separation

Appropriate solid municipal waste management is an important topic in the EU. Abiding by the amended EU Waste Framework Directive and the amended EU Landfill Directive, Greece has set ambitious goals for waste reuse and recycling and for landfill minimization in its recent National Waste Management Plans. These goals however can only be reached through the improvement of the mixed recyclable waste scheme (the "blue bin" scheme for paper/carton, plastic and metal) and the establishment of collection containers for separate waste streams (separately for biodegradable waste, for glass, for paper/carton and for the rest). Active participation of citizens in waste source separation is paramount for this program. As such, the determinants that favor waste source separation intention were measured in approximately 1600 residents in the city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece, through the application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The determinant of Moral Norms (MN) was included in the basic model [that contains the determinants Attitude (ATT), Subjective Norms (SN) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC)]. Each determinant was measured through four or five declarations while the Behavioral Intention (BI) contained ten subsections. The model was able to satisfactorily predict the intention of the respondents to perform waste source separation. Specifically, the model successfully predicted respondents' intention to engage in waste source separation, explaining 36 % of the variance, indicating that a moderate amount of variance can be explained by the constructs. There was a significant direct effect of ATT (β = 0.486, p < 0.001), SN (β = 0.091, p < 0.05), and PBC (β = 0.091, p < 0.05) on BI. Additionally, MN showed statistically significant mediating effects; a mediating effect on BI via ATT (β = 0.479; p < 0.01), via SN (β = 0.046; p = 0.015), and via PBC (β = 0.057; p = 0.017) was noted. Implications of these results on waste separation policies include the following: launching comprehensive public education campaigns to reshape positive attitudes, improving infrastructure to strengthen the real or perceived behavioral control of citizens experience, increasing "peer pressure" via community engagement activities, such as recycling workshops, clean-up drives, and competitions. The important role of moral obligations in the community should be underlined and it may be the long-term key solution; educational programs and campaigns should emphasize the moral obligation of waste separation and integrating environmental ethics into school programs can instill these values from a young age.

Characterizing emissions of VOCs from the initial degradation of kitchen waste in household waste bins of residential areas in Beijing

In order to clarify the emission characteristics of VOCs during the initial degradation of kitchen waste, a year-long sampling campaign of kitchen waste in residential household municipal solid waste (HMSW) bins was conducted. A total of 93 VOCs with an average annual concentration of 2271 μg/m3 were detected. Alkanes and oxygenated compounds were the dominant released from the initial degradation of kitchen waste. Seasonal and daily variations were observed, with VOC concentrations generally higher in spring (1413 μg/m3) and summer (5882 μg/m3) and lower in autumn (505 μg/m3) and winter (1258 μg/m3). In addition, peak releases occurred earlier in the spring and summer (at 6 h) than in autumn and winter (at 24 h). Correlation analysis showed that ambient temperature correlated significantly with alkanes and oxygenated compounds (P < 0.01). 67 substances have been found to cause odor pollution. Based on the odor index, oxygenated compounds were the most significant odor pollutants. Acetaldehyde and 2-ketone required particular concern because of its high concentration and high odor index. This study not only enriched the understanding of emissions of VOCs from MSW front-end facilities but will also provide a scientific and theoretical basis for holistic management and odor control of MSW.