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Electrochemical pretreatment is considered a promising technique to reduce recalcitrance nature of lignocellulosic biomass. Yet, a comprehensive knowledge on the performance of alkaline reagents in electrochemical pretreatment and the associated environmental impacts are at an early stage. The present study investigated and compared the effect of electrochemical pretreatment by using NaOH reagent (EN) and electrochemical pretreatment by using Ca(OH) 2 reagent (EC). The results showed that, both pretreatment techniques elicited the structural breakdown of the biomass, as evidenced by compositional changes, supernatant properties, SEM, FTIR, and XRD analyses. The batch anaerobic digestion results revealed that the improvement in methane production was highest for the EC pretreatment (434 mL/gVS) followed by the EN pretreatment (346 mL/gVS) and the untreated yard waste (245 mL/gVS). The Modified Gompertz model showed the best fit for untreated and pretreated yard waste. The results of economic analysis confirmed the highest net profit of 8922 rupees (US$ 119.29) for EC pretreatment. The findings of life cycle analysis revealed that the net environmental performance considering the inventory used and the limitations of the system boundary was highest for EC pretreatment followed by EN pretreatment and untreated condition. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Yard waste hydrochar pellets were more robust than food waste hydrochar pellets. • Food waste hydrochar pellets were less durable and therefore needs binder. • Lignin rich yard waste could act as a source of natural binder. • Durable food waste hydrochar pellets could be produced by Co-HTC with yard waste. • Food and yard waste hydrochar combustion have potential to substitute coal combustion. In this study, Co-HTC of food waste with yard waste was conducted for biofuel pellets production, and also to understand any possible synergy between two feedstock types. The calorific value of blended raw feedstock was 13.5 MJ/kg which increased to 27.6 MJ/kg after Co-HTC at 220 °C for 1 h. Energy yield and fuel ratio calculated was 45% and 0.65 respectively. Hydrochar produced demonstrated a stable combustion profile as compared to reactive combustion profile for raw samples. The blend of food and yard waste hydrochar was easily pelletized, and its pellets showed improvement in mechanical properties as compared to pellets made from mono-substrate((food waste) hydrochar. Pellets produced from the blend of food and yard waste hydrochar showed higher energy (46.4 MJ/m3) and mass density (1679 kg/m3) as compare to the pellet produced from food waste hydrochar alone. Tensile strength obtained for the blended hydrochar pellet was 2.64 MPa while same for the pellets produced from food waste hydrochar alone was 1.30 MPa. In addition to improving hydrophobicity, soften lignin from yard waste also helped in binding the food waste hydrochar particles together within the pellets matrix during heated pelletization. The results presented in the study indicated that in the presence of all favorable conditions, there is a potential that approximately 11% of the global coal consumption could be replaced by the combustion of hydrochar produced from food and yard waste globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste constitutes a remarkable portion of municipal solid waste. About one-third of the global food waste produced is lost with the food supply chain. Food waste in many countries is still dumped of in landfill or incinerated simultaneously with other municipal wastes. Food waste requires proper management and recycling techniques in order to minimise its environmental burden and risk to human life. Despite considerable research on food waste conversion still, there is a shortage of comprehensive reviews of the published literature. In this review, we provide a mini global perspective of food waste with special emphasis on New Zealand and their conversion into the useful material through hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC). Other thermal technologies such as incineration and pyrolysis are also briefly discussed. The review discusses why HTC is more suitable thermal technology than others, which are currently available. Recognising the importance of techno-economic feasibility of HTC, we present a cost analysis on the production of value-added products via HTC with examples taken from the literature to gather information in the feasibility assessment process. Finally, key challenges and future directions for a better productive way of handling food waste are being suggested. Unlabelled Image • Thermal treatments like incineration and pyrolysis are not favourable for food waste. • Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) is an effective treatment for conversion of food waste into energy. • HTC is highly dependent on process parameters (i.e. temperature, time and pressure). • HTC is highly dependent on fluctuating cost of equipment, labour, and transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrothermal carbonization improves the combustion behavior of yard waste. • Grindability of the prepared hydrochar was comparable to that of coal. • Low reaction condition yields better flowability as compared to higher condition. • All reaction condition has an energy ratio and ED ratio of more than one. • Calorific value of hydrochar was comparable to lignite coal. Yard waste is either dumped or is being openly burned to get rid of it, instead of using it as a valuable renewable energy source. In this study, hydrothermal carbonization of yard waste was conducted to valorize it as a solid bio fuel, using a batch reactor. The effect of process parameter on yield, energy and physicochemical properties of the valorized solid bio fuel (hydrochar) was examined in this study by varying reaction temperature (160–200 °C for 2 h) and reaction time (2–24 h at 200 °C). The calorific value of hydrochar was within a range of 17.72–24.59 MJ/kg as compared to 15.37 MJ/kg for untreated yard waste. Hydrochar mass yield decreased from 78.6% at operating temperature – time of 160 °C –2 h to 45.6% at 200 °C –24 h. The plot of atomic ratios (H/C and O/C) demonstrates improvement in the coalification process which was mainly governed by decarboxylation and dehydration reactions. The grindability of the prepared hydrochar was comparable to that of coal. Hydrochar produced at lower reaction condition (160–200 °C at 2 h) have better flowability as compared to that produced at higher reaction condition (4–24 h at 200 °C). The reaction time longer than 12 h has a minimal effect on the yield, energy and physicochemical properties of hydrochar. Increasing reaction time and temperature improved the ignition and burnt temperature of hydrochar. All reaction condition has an energy ratio (energy output to energy input) of more than one making HTC process a net energy producer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• From 2006 to 2016, we saw declines in stunting (57–40%), underweight (48–31%), and wasting (16–12%) for the Dalits. From 2006 to 2016, we saw declines in group and stunting (48% to –36%), underweight (37% to –27%), and wasting (12% to –10%) for the non-Dalits group. • In 2016, when compared to Dalits, Non-Dalits had higher Z-scores for Height-for-Age (0.09), Weight-for-Age (0.14) and Weight-for-Height (0.13) but these differences were not statistically different from zero (p > 0.1). • The combination of socioeconomic gains and equity-focused health policy appears to have been transformative in improving undernutrition and disparities in undernutrition in Nepal. Although Nepal has made substantial progress in child health over the years, there are concerns about whether marginalized (Dalits) groups have made meaningful gains in child health. In this study, we sought to understand undernutrition inequalities between Dalits and non-Dalits in Nepal, the factors associated with such differences, and how these inequalities have changed over time. We use Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition techniques to decompose the average difference in Height-for-Age (HAZ), Weight-for-Age (WAZ), Weight-for-Height (WHZ) z-scores between Dalit and non-Dalit groups to estimate the amount of the inequality associated with different characteristics. We use data on children below the age of 5 from the Demographic and Health Survey for Nepal for 2006, 2011, and 2016. For descriptive purposes, we also estimate the prevalence of severe forms of undernutrition defined as stunting, underweight, and wasting for the Dalit and non-Dalit groups over time. We saw declines in the prevalence of undernutrition for both Dalits and Non-Dalits over time. From 2006 to 2016, we saw declines in stunting (57–40 %), underweight (48–31 %), and wasting (16–12 %) for the Dalit group and stunting (48–36 %), underweight (37–27 %), and wasting (12–10 %) for the non-Dalit group. In 2006, when compared to Dalits, Non-Dalits had higher Z-scores for Height-for-Age (0.26), Weight-for-Age (0.31) and Weight-for-Height (0.21) and these differences were statistically different from zero (p < 0.05). In 2016, when compared to Dalits, Non-Dalits had higher Z-scores for Height-for-Age (0.09), Weight-for-Age (0.14) and Weight-for-Height (0.13) but these differences were not statistically different from zero (p > 0.1). Our findings show that stunting, underweight, and wasting prevalence declined in both Dalit and non-Dalit groups between 2006 and 2016. In addition, undernutrition inequality between the Dalit group and non-Dalit group also declined substantially from 2006 to 2016 such that by 2016, the difference in undernutrition was no longer statistically significant for all three outcomes. The combination of socioeconomic gains and equity-focused health policy appears to have been transformative in Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's era, security is getting important day by day. But security constraints for the text data which is sent over the network is also fetching confront with the attractiveness. This paper introduces a selective encryption method named Selective significant data encryption (SSDE) for text data encryption. The SSDE provides sufficient uncertainty to the data encryption process as it selects only significant data out of the whole message. This in turn reduces the encryption time overhead and enhances the performance. The encryption part is performed by the help of symmetric key algorithm. For this purpose BLOWFISH algorithm is used. First, I introduce the concept of cryptography, and symmetric and asymmetric types of encryption methods. Then the overview of selective encryption is given which is followed by the introduction of SSDE. In this research, I proposed a method SSDE which is compared with existing methods, that is, full data encryption and Toss-A-Coin method with the simulation experimental setup based on NS 2.35. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata is one of the most important pests of dual-purpose sorghums during the postrainy season in India. Therefore, it is important to identify stable sources of resistance to develop cultivars with shoot fly resistance and adaptation to postrainy season. We evaluated 190 lines adapted to the postrainy season across five locations, of which 30 lines were identified with resistance to A. soccata . These lines were further evaluated for three seasons across five locations to identify lines with stable resistance to this pest across seasons and locations. Data were recorded on oviposition non-preference, deadheart incidence, recovery resistance, morphological traits (leaf glossiness, seedling vigor, plant height and days to 50% flowering), and grain yield. The sorghum genotypes CSV 22, ICSB 422, ICSB 425, ICSB 428, ICSB 432, ICSB 458, ICSB 463, IS 2312, IS 5480, IS 18662, Phule Chitra, RSV 1093, IS 18551, and RSV 1235 exhibited resistance to shoot fly damage across seasons, of which ICSB 425, ICSB 428, ICSB 432, IS 2312, IS 5480, and IS 18551 showed non-preference for oviposition. Six genotypes (ICSB 425, IS 2312, IS 18662, RSV 1090, RSV 1093, and IS 18551) also showed good recovery resistance following shoot fly damage. Principal coordinate analysis placed the maintainer lines (B-lines) with shoot fly resistance in two clusters with ICSB 422, ICSB 432, ICSB 435, ICSB 456 and ICSB 458 in one cluster and ICSB 425, ICSB 428 and ICSB 463 in the other; the open pollinated varieties/germplasm lines (restorers) were placed in a different group (CSV 22, IS 5480, IS 2312 and RSV 1093), suggesting the possibilities for developing hybrids with adaptation to the postrainy season. Based on regression coefficient and deadheart incidence, the genotypes IS 2312, ICSB 425, RSV 1090 and ICSB 428 were stable in expression of resistance to shoot fly across seasons and locations. The genotypes CSV 22 and RSV 1093 exhibited high grain yield potential and resistance to shoot fly damage, while Phule Yashoda, IS 2312, RSV 1235, and ICSV 574 were moderately resistant to shoot fly damage, but had high grain yield potential. These genotypes can be used in sorghum improvement for developing cultivars with shoot fly resistance, high grain yield and adaptation to postrainy season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Efforts are being made to express toxin genes from the bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in chickpea for minimizing the losses due to the pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera. However, there is an apprehension that acidic exudates in chickpea leaves may influence the protoxin–toxin conversion in the insect midgut, and thus, reduce the efficacy of Bt toxins. Therefore, we studied the influence of organic acids (oxalic acid and malic acid) present in the trichome exudates of chickpea on the biological activity and binding of Bt δ-endotoxin Cry1Ac to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) of the pod borer, H. armigera. Oxalic and malic acids in combination at concentrations present in chickpea leaves did not influence the biological activity of Bt toxin Cry1Ac towards H. armigera larvae. Amounts of Cry1Ac protein in the midgut of insects reared on diets with organic acids were similar to those reared on artificial diet without the organic acids. However, very high concentrations of the organic acids reduced the amounts of Cry1Ac in the midgut of H. armigera larvae. Organic acids in the artificial diet also increased the excretion of Cry1Ac in the fecal matter. Organic acids reduced the amount of protein in the BBMV of insects reared on diets with Cry1Ac, possibly because of reduced size of the larvae. Oxalic and malic acids at concentrations present in chickpea leaves did not affect the biological activity of Cry1Ac, but it will be desirable to have high levels of expression of Cry1Ac toxin proteins in chickpea for effective control of the pod borer, H. armigera. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Effects of propofol, an intravenous anesthetic agent that exerts potent antioxidant properties, were investigated in an experimental model of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An extended cardiac arrest with 15 randomized piglets was studied to assess the effect of propofol or its solvent intralipid as the control group. Oxidative stress (as measured by a major F2-isoprostane) and inflammation (a major metabolite of PGF2α) were evaluated in addition to the hemodynamic evaluation, protein S-100β and in situ tissue brain damage by immunochemistry at sacrifice after 3h of reperfusion following cardiac arrest and restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). ROSC increased jugular bulb plasma levels of F2-isoprostane and PGF2α metabolite significantly more in controls than in the propofol-treated group. In situ tissue damage after ischemia-reperfusion was variable among the pigs at sacrifice, but tended to be greater in the control than the propofol-treated group. Propofol significantly reduced an ROSC-mediated oxidative stress in the brain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We evaluated 22 different host and non-host plant protease inhibitors (PIs) for in vivo inhibition of Helicoverpa armigera gut pro- and proteinases, and their biological activity against the pod borer, H. armigera, the most important pest of agriculture and horticultural crops worldwide. In vitro activation of H. armigera gut pro-proteinases (HaGPPs) in larvae fed on non-host plant PIs showed significant in vivo inhibition of HaGPPs activation in solution as well as in gel assays. The larvae fed on diet incorporated with Datura alba ness PIs showed highest inhibition of HaGPPs, followed by Psophocarpus tetragonolobus. Non-host plant PIs from Pongamia pinnata, Mucuna pruriens, Capsicum annuum, and Nigela sativa showed maximum inhibitory potential towards HaGPs in vivo, and also exhibited moderate level of inhibition of pro-proteinases. However, some of non-host plant PIs, such as those from Penganum harmala and Solanum nigrum, and the principal host plant PIs, viz., Cicer arietinum and Cajanus cajan did not inhibit HaGPP activity. Pro-proteinase level increased with the growth of the larvae, and maximum HaGPP activity was observed in the fifth-instars. Larvae fed on diets with D. alba ness PIs showed greater inhibition of HaGPPs as compared to the larvae fed on diets with P. tetragonolobus. Low concentrations of partially purified HaGPs treated with gut extract of larvae fed on D. alba ness showed that out of 10 proteinase isoforms, HaGPs 5 and 9 were activators of pro-proteinases. Larval growth and development were significantly reduced in the larvae fed on the non-host plant PIs, of which D. alba ness resulted in highest stunted growth of H. armigera larvae. The in vivo studies indicated that non-host plant PIs were good candidates as inhibitors of the HaGPs as well as HaGPPs. The PIs from the non-host plants can be expressed in genetically engineered plants to confer resistance to H. armigera. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Experiments were done to test if Beauveria bassiana can become an endophyte in sorghum and confer protection from stem borer. Four-week-old sorghum seedlings were treated with B. bassiana. The plants were examined for endophytic presence of B. bassiana, 30 and 60 days after treatment. Stem cultures from treated plants showed growth of B. bassiana. PCR amplification using fungal specific primers for a conserved region of β tubulin gene yielded identical 360 bp products from both B. bassiana and treated sorghum plants. In a subsequent experiment, B. bassiana treated and untreated (control) sorghum plants were artificially infested with stem borer (Chilo partellus) larvae 15 days post treatment and the extent of damage was compared. About 40% of the control plants developed dead heart while no plant in the B. bassiana treated plot did. In the surviving control plants, stem tunneling by shoot borer was significantly higher compared to B. bassiana treated sorghum plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study describes morphological abnormalities of brain cells during acute methamphetamine (METH) intoxication in the rat and demonstrates the role of hyperthermia, disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and edema in their development. Rats with chronically implanted brain, muscle and skin temperature probes and an intravenous (i.v.) catheter were exposed to METH (9mg/kg) at standard (23°C) and warm (29°C) ambient temperatures, allowing for the observation of hyperthermia ranging from mild to pathological (38–42°C). When brain temperature peaked or reached a level suggestive of possible lethality (>41.5°C), rats were injected with Evans blue (EB), rapidly anesthetized, perfused, and their brains were taken for further analyses. Four brain areas (cortex, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus) were analyzed for EB extravasation, water and electrolyte (Na+, K+, Cl−) contents, immunostained for albumin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and examined for neuronal, glial and axonal alterations using standard light and electron microscopy. These examinations revealed profound abnormalities in neuronal, glial, and endothelial cells, which were stronger with METH administered at 29°C than 23°C and tightly correlated with brain and body hyperthermia. These changes had some structural specificity, but in each structure they tightly correlated with increases in EB levels, the numbers of albumin-positive cells, and water and ion contents, suggesting leakage of the BBB, acutely developing brain edema, and serious shifts in brain ion homeostasis as leading factors underlying brain abnormalities. While most of these acute structural and functional abnormalities appear to be reversible, they could trigger subsequent cellular alterations in the brain and accelerate neurodegeneration—the most dangerous complication of chronic amphetamine-like drug abuse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent rampant spread of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes has highlighted the concerns around nursing homes' ability to contain the spread of infections. The ability of nursing homes to invest in quality improvement initiatives may depend on resource availability. In this study, we sought to examine whether lower profit margins, as a proxy for lack of resources, are associated with persistent infection control citations. We conducted a retrospective study. Medicare-certified nursing homes in the US with financial and facility characteristics data (n = 12,194). We combined facility-level data on nursing home profit margins from Medicare Cost Reports with deficiency citation data from Nursing Home Compare (2017-2019) and facility characteristics data from LTCFocus.org. We descriptively analyzed infection control citations by profit margins quintiles. We used logistic regressions to examine the relationship between profit margin quintiles and citations for infection prevention and control, adjusting for facility and market characteristics. About three-fourths of all facilities received deficiency citations for infection prevention and control during 1 or more years from 2017 to 2019 with about 10% of facilities cited in all 3 years. Facilities in the highest profit margin quintile had 7.6% of facilities with citations for infection prevention and control in each of the 3 years compared with 8.1%, 10.0%, 10.7%, and 13.7% for facilities in the fourth, third, second, and first quintiles of profit margins, respectively. Multivariable regressions showed that facilities with the lowest profit margins (first quintile) had 54.3% higher odds of being cited in at least 1 year and 87.6% higher odds of being cited in each of the 3 years compared with facilities with the highest profit margins (fifth quintile). Our findings indicate that nursing homes may need more resources to prevent citations for infection prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickpea, Cicer arietinum, is the third most important grain legume crop in the world, with India being the largest producer. Insect pests are a major constraint to chickpea production. In India, the legume pod borer Helicoverpa armigera is the major insect pest of chickpeas. However, sap-sucking insects that act as vectors for viral diseases and bruchid beetles in storage are also considered important pests. Here we give an overview over the different management options to control these pests. There is a growing interest in the genetic modification of crops to enhance their resistance against insect pests. Here we present the state-of-the-art of chickpea transformation and give an overview on the available insecticidal genes that could be deployed to increase insect resistance in chickpea. Prior to commercialization, transgenic crops have to be assessed for their effects on the environment including the possible impact on non-target arthropods, many of which are important for biological pest control. Therefore, the arthropod–food web in the Indian chickpea system is described. Possible routes through which entomophagous insects could be exposed to insecticidal proteins expressed by genetically modified chickpeas are discussed, and species that could be selected for pre-release risk assessment are recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using a combination of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and inverse-PCR techniques, we amplified, cloned and sequenced a full-length porcine 5-hydroxytryptamine 1F (5-ht1F) receptor complementary DNA (cDNA) derived from porcine trigeminal ganglion. Sequence analysis revealed 1101 base pairs (bp) encoding an open reading frame of 366 amino acids showing a high similarity (>90%) with the 5-ht1F receptor sequences from other species, including human. The recombinant porcine 5-ht1F receptor was expressed in African green monkey kidney cell lines (COS-7 cells) and its ligand binding profile was determined using [3H]5-HT. The affinities of several agonists (LY334370 (5-(4-fluorobenzoyl)amino-3-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-1H-indole fumarate)>CP122638 (N-methyl-3 [pyrrolidin 2(R)-yl methyl]-1H-indol-5-ylmethyl sulphonamide)=naratriptan=5-HT>eletriptan>sumatriptan>frovatriptan=avitriptan>dihydroergotamine>zolmitriptan>5-carboxamidotryptamine>rizatriptan>alniditan=donitriptan>L694247 (2-[5-[3-(4-methylsulphonylamino)benzyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-1H-indole-3-yl] ethylamine) and putative antagonists (methiothepin>GR127935 (N-[4-methoxy-3-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl) phenyl]-2′-methyl 4′-(5-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl) [1,1-biphenyl]-4-carboxamide hydrochloride)>ritanserin>SB224289 (2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1′-methyl-5-[2′-methyl-4′(5-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl) biphenyl-4-carbonyl] furo [2,3-f] indole-3-spiro-4′-piperidine hydrochloride)>BRL155572 ([1-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-[3,3-diphenyl (2-(S,R) hydroxypropanyl)piperazine] hydrochloride)>ketanserin=pindolol) correlated highly with those described for the recombinant human 5-ht1F receptor (Spearman correlation coefficient; rs=0.942). Nevertheless, as compared to the human homologue, some triptans (i.e. sumatriptan, zolmitriptan and rizatriptan) displayed a 10- to 15-fold lower affinity for the porcine 5-ht1F receptor. Using RT-PCR technique, the expression of porcine 5-ht1F receptor mRNA was observed in cerebral cortex, trigeminal ganglion and several blood vessels, but not in skeletal muscles. In conclusion, we have cloned and established the amino acid sequence and ligand binding profile of the porcine 5-ht1F receptor as well as the distribution of its mRNA. This information may be helpful in exploring the role of 5-ht1F receptor in physiological processes and diseases, such as migraine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • HTC of mixed food waste (FW) at different severity factor is investigated. • The fuel property of FW hydrochar is impacted by the HTC reaction severity. • Pelletization of FW hydrochar with molasses as binder is studied. • Molasses increased the energy density and strength of FW hydrochar pellets. • Conceptual framework is proposed using circular economy concept. Food waste (FW) is difficult to manage during thermal treatment. In this study hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of FW was carried out at increasing temperatures and retention times using the approach of reaction severities (logR0 = 5.31–7.09). The hydrochar sample with the best-obtained energy yield was further pelletized using molasses as a binder at different ratios (5%, 10%, 20% and 30%). A conceptual framework was proposed using the circular economy concept. As severity increases, hydrochar yield declines while its fuel properties improve. Decarboxylation and dehydration allow functional groups to become impaired, including C-O and –OH. Carbon microspheres were observed on the hydrochar surface due to extensive FW carbonization. The pellets with 30% molasses as binder showed the highest mass density (1683.24 kg/m3), while the energy density for it was 37.54 GJ/m3. Food waste management will generate local employment and new business prospects by integrating HTC and pelletization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Landfill leachate (LL) was used as liquid source during HTC of MSWs. • LL resulted in lower hydrochar mass yields than conventional distilled water. • LL had no adverse effect on the fuel characteristics of the hydrochars. • The HHV of the hydrochars is comparable to traditional solid fuels. • Use of LL as moisture source can improve the sustainability of HTC processes. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of yard waste (YW) and food waste (FW) was performed in landfill leachate (LL) to overcome the unnecessary exploitation of our limited natural resources. The physicochemical properties and combustion behavior of the resulting hydrochars were compared with those obtained using distilled water (DW) as reaction medium. Although performing HTC in LL led to lower hydrochar mass yields (43% YWH and 36% FWH) than DW (47.1% YWH and 41.5% FWH), it had minimal impact on the fuel characteristics of the hydrochars. Notably, the higher heating value of the hydrochars prepared in LL (22.8 MJ kg−1 for YWH and 30.2 MJ kg−1 for FWH) is comparable to that of conventional solid fuels, and may, therefore, be considered as inexpensive alternatives to fossil fuels. Overall, the results of this study conclusively suggest that the use of LL as an alternative moisture source can significantly improve the sustainability of HTC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced the complexities of plastic waste management. Our improved, hyper-hygienic way of life in the fear of transmission has conveniently shifted our behavioral patterns like the use of PPE (Personal protective equipment), increased demand for plastic-packaged food and groceries, and the use of disposable utensils. The inadequacies and inefficiencies of our current waste management system to deal with the increased dependence on plastic could aggravate its mismanagement and leakage into the environment, thus triggering a new environmental crisis. Mandating scientific sterilization and the use of sealed bags for safe disposal of contaminated plastic wastes should be an immediate priority to reduce the risk of transmission to sanitation workers. Investments in circular technologies like feedstock recycling, improving the infrastructure and environmental viability of existing techniques could be the key to dealing with the plastic waste fluxes during such a crisis. Transition towards environmentally friendly materials like bioplastics and harboring new sustainable technologies would be crucial to fighting future pandemics. Although the rollbacks and relaxation of single-use plastic bans may be temporary, their likely implications on the consumer perception could hinder our long-term goals of transitioning towards a circular economy. Likewise, any delay in building international willingness and participation to curb any form of pollution through summits and agendas may also delay its implementation. Reduction in plastic pollution and at the same time promoting sustainable plastic waste management technologies can be achieved by prioritizing our policies to instill individual behavioral as well as social, institutional changes. Incentivizing measures that encourage circularity and sustainable practices, and public-private investments in research, infrastructure and marketing would help in bringing the aforementioned changes. Individual responsibility, corporate action, and government policy are all necessary to keep us from transitioning from one disaster to another. Unlabelled Image • COVID-19 has increased our reliance on plastics for safety and hygienic purposes. • Increase in plastic waste generation adds up to the woes of our management system. • Temporary relaxation on use of single-use plastic could alter consumer's behavior. • Innovation in existing products and technologies could help achieve sustainability. • Social responsibility, corporate action, and government policy are vital for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has become crucial to understand the combined effect of temperature and time on hydrochar pellets quality if large scale pellets production is envisaged. This study investigated the effect of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of yard waste at different severity factor (SF) based on the Arrhenius equation on the fuel, mechanical, storage, transport and combustion characteristics of the hydrochar pellets. No additional binder was used. The increasing SF level during HTC has a direct effect on the calorific value and energy density of the hydrochar pellets. Tensile strength of the hydrochar pellets increased from 1.53 MPa to 4.80 MPa for lowest and highest SF level respectively. The natural length expansion of hydrochar pellets was maximum (21%) for lower SF, and was minimum (7%) for higher SF level pellets. Higher SF level increased the mass (1662 kg/m3) and energy (42 MJ/m3) density of pellets as compared to lower SF level (1473 kg/m3 and 27 MJ/m3 respectively). The result of hydrophobicity, impact resistance and length expansion revealed that the lower SF level hydrochar pellets has lower durability as compared to higher SF level hydrochar pellets. Higher SF level improved combustion performance of hydrochar pellets which was evident from the improved burnout and ignition temperature. The study revealed that densified, durable, energy-rich fuel pellets could be produced from municipal yard waste using HTC at a higher SF level without using any binders thus identifying itself as a valuable renewable energy source. Image 1 • Yard waste hydrochar pelletization without addition of binder was investigated. • Yard waste hydrochar pellets properties are affected by HTC severity factor. • Lignin from yard waste hydrochar softens during heated pelletizationwhich acts as a natural binder. • Higher severity factor produces brittle yet durable yard waste hydrochar pellets. • Higher severity factor produces hydrophobic yard waste hydrochar pellets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy demand of the world is expected to reach 739 quadrillions BTU in 2040, which therefore demand for exploring more alternative source of renewable energy. Waste biomass though vast in reserve for generating renewable energy has its own downside. High moisture, fibrous nature, high bulk volume, hydrophilic nature and low calorific value are some of the inferior quality of waste biomass which creates bottleneck for easy renewable energy generation. Pre-treatment of biomass to overcome these challenges has created a new research interest. Among the treatment options available, the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) method, which can process wet waste has become the most preferred choice among researchers recently. The HTC eliminates energy-intensive pre-drying process needed for other treatment methods such as pyrolysis, dry torrefaction and incineration. Through this article, we attempt to provide a detailed review of how renewable biomass can be effectively used to produce renewable energy by improving their inherent inferior characteristics. The review also highlights bottlenecks that constrain the deployment of renewable energy using HTC methods. The scope of further research direction is well identified in this review. The paper also present recent advancements which are filling the knowledge gap of HTC technology that were there earlier. Critical analysis of microwave assisted HTC and conventional heated HTC is also presented in this review. The analysis in this paper reveals that biomass is a valuable resource, and should be explored to take advantage of its renewable energy generation potential. The HTC method of biomass upgradation improves transport, storage and fuel characteristics by improving grindability, pellets durability, hydrophobicity, energy density, combustion behaviour and calorific value, and also helps in improving the environmental performance of solid fuel produced. Despite the fact that the technology is in the early stage of development and there still exist knowledge gap and shortcomings, the vast literature reviewed suggests that it has a potential of being future technology. Therefore, it needs further investigation which should fill existing shortcoming of the technology. Image 1 • Renewable energy generation potential improvement using HTC is discussed. • Temperature and time play a crucial role during HTC. • Hydrochar densification is a better option than biomass densification. • Co-HTC is suitable for mixed feedstock. • Recommendations towards better upscaling of HTC at large scale is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a treatment technology which minimizes the production of by-product (waste) is need of an hour. In this study, municipal yard waste (primary raw material) was microwave-pretreated before anaerobic digestion (AD) to improve biogas production. The anaerobically digested, Pretreated Yard Waste (PTY) and the Untreated Yard Waste (UTY) (waste/secondary raw material) was Hydrothermally Carbonized as a downstream treatment technique to produce energy rich hydrochar. The Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) was conducted at a temperature of 180 °C and 200 °C for 6 h to produce carbon-rich hydrochar. Physicochemical, structural and combustion properties of PTY and UTY hydrochar were characterized and compared using a range of techniques to gain detailed insight into individual hydrochar samples. Microwave pretreatment of yard waste enhanced the biogas production from 264 ± 11 mL/g VS to 370 ± 14 mL/g VS. The carbon content and higher heating value of digestate increased considerably from 44 and 44.35% to 53–56% and15–16 MJ/kg to 21–23 MJ/kg, respectively after HTC. Thermal gravimetric analysis of the prepared hydrochar showed that the high-temperature carbonization increased the combustion properties of hydrochar. The hydrochar prepared from PTY showed enhanced physicochemical, structural and combustion properties as compared to hydrochar prepared from UTY. The finding asserted that the pretreatment of yard waste before AD not only improved biogas production but also improved yield with better quality hydrochar when its resulting digestate was hydrothermally carbonized. AD of yard waste yields biogas and HTC of the resulting digestate yields hydrochar; both are biofuel, hence, augmenting HTC as a downstream treatment process along with AD would result in the creation of near-zero loss process. Unlabelled Image • Pretreatment of yard waste at 140 °C for 100 s showed highest organic matter solubilisation. • Anaerobic digestion of pretreated yard showed up to 29% improvement in the biogas production. • HTC of digestate of pretreated yard waste showed 21% more carbonization potential. • Hydrochar from digestate of pretreated yard waste was thermally more stable • AD coupled with HTC presents new unique opportunity for bioenergy production [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid state anaerobic digestion of food waste (FW) with yard waste (YW) appears to be an efficient technique for bioenergy production. However, the reluctant nature of YW and nutrient imbalance due to high C/N ratio are the two major obstacles for maximum methane production. In this study to improve the methane production potential, YW was thermally pretreated to reduce its recalcitrance nature and then the pretreated YW was co-digested with FW to balance nutrient for anaerobic co-digestion. Moreover, optimization of F/M (Food/Microorganism) ratios (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5) for solid state anaerobic co-digestion was also considered. The highest methane production of 431 mL/gVS added was observed for co-digestion of FW with microwave pretreated YW at the F/M ratio of 1.5. Energy balance of the pretreatment technique was conducted and the highest net energy gain 3.98 kJ/gVS (= output energy of 14.04 kJ/gVS - input energy of 10.05 kJ/g VS) obtained at the F/M ratio of 1.0. Image 1 • Food waste and yard waste are valuable renewable energy resources. • Microwave pretreatment of yard waste improved the methane production. • F/M ratio was optimized based on methane production. • Bio-kinetic parameters of anaerobic co-digestion were evaluated. • A positive energy balance of microwave pretreatment step was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment is considered as a key step in reducing biomass recalcitrance and improving its accessibility to microorganisms during anaerobic digestion. In the present study, a comprehensive comparison among hot air oven, hot water bath, autoclave and microwave (MW) pretreated yard waste (YW) was conducted. The effect of treatment temperature and duration for all the four LHW pretreatment techniques were optimized with respect to the organic matter solubilisation. The results showed that all four LHW pretreatment techniques have a positive effect on organic matter solubilisation. The highest organic matter solubilisation was found in case of MW pretreatment for a treatment duration of 100 s at a temperature of 140 °C. Therefore, batch biochemical methane potential (BMP) of untreated and MW pre-treated YW was carried out for this treatment condition. The BMP of MW pretreated YW resulted in an improvement in methane yield to 364.5 ± 11 mL/g VS on 26th day of anaerobic digestion, which was 1.1 times higher than that of untreated (328.9 ± 15 mL/g VS on 45th day of anaerobic digestion). The FTIR and XRD analysis confirmed that LHW pretreatment technique removed amorphous constituents due to the polymerization of polysaccharides present in YW. In addition, SEM analysis confirmed that the LHW pretreatment led irregular and distorted structure of biomass which improved cellulose accessibility to anaerobic bacteria. A positive energy balance confirmed the possible applicability of MW pretreatment in real life projects. Image 1 • Yard waste is a valuable renewable energy resource. • Liquid hot water pretreatment is necessary to reduce the recalcitrance of yard waste for anaerobic digestion. • Comparison among four different type of liquid hot water pretreatment technique was investigated. • Microwave pretreatment was found to be the most efficient liquid hot water pretreatment technique. • A positive energy balance of microwave pretreatment step was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food demand is expected to increase globally by 60–110% from 2005 to 2050 due to diet shifts and population growth. This growth in food demand leads to the generation of enormous agri-food wastes (AFWs), which could be classified into pre-consumption and post-consumption. The AFW represents economic losses for all stakeholders along food supply chains, including consumers. It is reported that the direct financial, social, and environmental costs of food waste are 1, 0.9, and 0.7 trillion USD/year, respectively. Diverse conventional AFW management approaches are employed at the different life cycle levels (entre supply chain). The review indicates that inadequate transportation, erroneous packaging, improper storage, losses during processing, contamination, issues with handling, and expiry dates are the main reason for the generation of AFWs in the supply chain. Further, various variables such as cultural, societal, personal, and behavioral factors contribute to the AFW generation. The selection of a specific valorization technology is based on multiple physicochemical and biological parameters. Furthermore, other factors like heterogeneity of the AFWs, preferable energy carriers, by-products management, cost, end-usage applications, and environmental legislative and disposal processes also play a crucial role in adopting suitable technology. Valorization of AFW could significantly impact both economy and the environment. AFWs have been widely investigated for the development of engineered added-value biomaterials and renewable energy production. Considering this, this study has been carried out to highlight the significance of AFW cost, aggregation, quantification, and membrane-based strategies for its management. The study also explored the satellite remote sensing data for Spatio-temporal monitoring, mapping, optimization, and management of AFW management. Along with this, the study also explained the most recent strategies for AFW valorization and outlined the detailed policy recommendation along with opportunities and challenges. The review suggested that AFW should be managed using a triple-bottom-line strategy (economic, social, and environmental sustainability). [Display omitted] • Diverse conventional waste management approaches are employed at production by farmer's end. • This review focus on agri-food wastes cost, aggregation, and strategies of its management. • GIS can be used for spatio-temporal monitoring, mapping, optimization and management of agri-food wastes. • This review also explore the most recent strategies for agri-food wastes valorization, opportunities and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier in Hyperthermia," by Hari Shanker Sharma and Conrad Earl Johanson is presented.