Search Results (1,167)

Joining technologies play a decisive role in the sustainability, circularity, and end-of-life performance of metal structures. Despite the increasing emphasis on low-impact manufacturing and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the connection between joining methods and producers’ environmental obligations remains underexplored. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of conventional and emerging techniques, including fusion welding, solid-state welding, mechanical fastening, adhesive bonding, and hybrid and AM-assisted processes, examining how each technology influences material efficiency, durability, repairability, disassembly, and recyclability. Particular attention is devoted to the effects of joint characteristics on life-cycle impacts, waste generation, and the technical and economic feasibility of high-quality material recovery, using recent LCA evidence and industrial case studies from automotive, shipbuilding, aerospace, and consumer products. Building on this analysis, the review proposes qualitative checklists and semi-quantitative scoring schemes to compare joining options under EPR-relevant criteria and to identify best- and worst-case design scenarios. Finally, promising research directions are outlined, including reversible and debond-on-demand solutions, low-energy solid-state routes, joining strategies for multi-material yet recyclable structures, and the integration of digital twins and LCA-informed design tools, offering a roadmap for metal structures that align technical performance with EPR-driven end-of-life management. Full article

Background: Various socket designs exist, linking the residual limb together with the prosthetic components to restore the ability to walk; however, lack of socket comfort is a frequent complaint. Objective: To evaluate the impact of socket design on end-user comfort and mobility. Methods: A randomized crossover trial was set to compare comfort and mobility of above-knee amputees (AKAs) wearing an ischial containment (IC) or subischial (I-SUB) socket. Patients actively wearing IC sockets were recruited from 10 rehabilitation centers across the country. They were then fitted for an I-SUB socket by Certified Prosthetists (CPs) as an alternate socket. Participants were randomly assigned to start with one or the other socket. After a minimum of 2 weeks, each participant evaluated the Socket Comfort Score (SCS) (primary outcome) in various situations, performed the 2-min walk test, and answered the PLUS-M questionnaire (secondary outcomes). Results: A total of 25 participants were included, of whom 23 completed the study with full (n = 21) or partial data (n = 2). SCS were improved with I-SUB compared with IC in all situations, with significant differences in general, when sitting on a rigid chair, sitting in a car, and standing. The differences in self-reported mobility and walking distance at the 2-min walk test were not significant. At the end of the study, more than 80% of the participants chose to keep the I-SUB socket for their daily use. Conclusions: For the first time, this study supports that the subischial suction socket improves comfort in daily life without negatively impacting user mobility in a group of individuals with AKA. Full article

In recent years, hybrid polymer/POSS (Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane) systems have attracted particular attention, combining the advantages of organic and inorganic components. This paper reports on the thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation and weathering processes of these materials, as well as their impact on mechanical, chemical, and morphological properties. The paper discusses the physical and chemical changes occurring during degradation, the mechanisms of autoxidation, and the influence of environmental factors such as UV radiation, temperature, and humidity. Particular attention is paid to the role of POSS nanoparticles in polymer stabilization—their barrier function, free radical scavenging, and oxygen diffusion limitation. Methods for analyzing ageing processes are presented, including thermogravimetry coupled with infra-red spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), mechanical property testing, and yellowness index assessment. Material durability prediction models and their importance in designing composite lifespans in the context of the circular economy are also discussed. It is demonstrated that the appropriate type and concentration of POSS (typically 2–6 wt.%) can significantly improve polymer composites’ resistance to heat, radiation, and oxidizing agents, extending their service life and enabling more sustainable lifecycle management of products. Full article

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in energy storage systems, and temperature is an important factor that affects the battery aging performance. Battery aging tests have been conducted in environmental chambers in numerous studies. The ambient temperature is usually regarded as an indicator that affects the battery aging performance. However, with the same ambient temperature but different heat exchange conditions, the battery cycle aging life can still vary. In this study, a side face temperature control device and end faces temperature control device for a cylindrical battery were designed and made. Together with the environmental chamber, three types of heat exchange conditions were used to conduct cycle aging tests for the 21700 cylindrical battery. Based on the aging results of batteries under different heat exchange conditions, the battery aging mechanisms were analyzed. At the end of the battery’s life, the maximum loss rate of the active anode material is close to 20%, and the loss rate of the lithium inventory of most test groups is approximately 10%. The internal resistance growth rate of the aged battery can exceed 50%. During the battery aging process, battery temperature data were monitored, and the cumulative time-averaged surface temperature (CTAT) was proposed as a new metric to assess the temperature level for the long-term operating battery. The aging results of the 21700 cylindrical batteries show that within the temperature range of this study, the lower the CTAT, the faster the battery capacity degrades. The correlation between the battery temperature level and aging performance was also analyzed, which can be used to predict the battery cycle life. The analysis of battery aging mechanisms and the proposed temperature metric in this study provide guidance for research on battery life sustainability, as well as the thermal management strategy design of the battery. Full article

Microplastic pollution is a defining environmental crisis of the Anthropocene, threatening ecosystems and human health due to its persistence and global dispersion. This review synthesizes current knowledge through a chemical engineering framework, analyzing the contaminant’s lifecycle from formation and environmental fate to detection and removal. We systematically evaluate conventional and advanced mitigation technologies, highlighting the potential of engineered adsorbents (e.g., functionalized sponges, biochar) for targeted capture while underscoring the limitations of current wastewater treatment for nano-plastics. The analysis extends beyond end-of-pipe solutions to underscore the imperative for sustainable polymer design and circular economy systems, where biodegradable polymers and chemical recycling must be integrated. Crucially, we identify techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) as essential, yet underdeveloped, tools for quantifying the true cost and sustainability of management strategies. The synthesis concludes that addressing microplastic pollution requires the integrated application of chemical engineering principles across molecular, process, and system scales, and it identifies key research priorities in advanced material design, standardized analytics, hybrid treatment processes, and comprehensive impact modeling. Full article

This paper presents an analysis of energy savings and sustainability measures to improve the environmental performance of glass wool fiberizing, the latter being the most energy intensive production step in manufacturing glass wool thermal insulation, involving conversion of hot molten glass into fibers. The first part evaluates two refractory designs—business as usual (BAU) and modified (MOD), over four trials. BAU refractory has higher density whereas MOD is an innovative lightweight design, with lower density and improved thermal conductivity. The key operational parameters analyzed include energy demand and CO₂ emissions in the fiberizing stage, along with burner pressure, temperature and fiber diameter. The results show that MOD has better thermal performance, leading to an average energy demand reduction potential of up to 10%. The second part focuses on promoting a circular economy for the end-of-life refractory, underpinned by the potential for recovery and reuse of spent refractory materials. Based on a total refractory mass of 1.2 tons for the six burners, the end-of-life refractory material recovery is estimated as 0.78 ton (65% of the aggregate). Balancing the recovery costs with the acquired value of the recovered aggregates, results demonstrate significant material and environmental cost avoidance on a 3-year refractory relining cycle. Full article

Under the national carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, electrical equipment plays a crucial role in energy production, transmission, and end-use systems, making the research on its lifecycle carbon emissions and mitigation strategies particularly significant. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework, this review systematically examines carbon emission characteristics across raw material acquisition, manufacturing, transportation, usage, and end-of-life recycling stages of electrical equipment. The analysis indicates that the manufacturing and usage stages are generally the main contributors to total lifecycle emissions. Moreover, challenges such as incomplete carbon data, inconsistent boundary definitions, and insufficient recycling systems are highlighted. Correspondingly, this review summarizes key mitigation pathways, including low-carbon design and material optimization, low-carbon manufacturing processes, energy-efficient operation supported by intelligent monitoring, and enhanced recycling and remanufacturing practices. Finally, future perspectives are proposed, emphasizing the need to establish unified LCA databases, develop intelligent and data-driven carbon monitoring systems, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration to support the green and low-carbon transformation of electrical equipment industries. Full article

Background: Liver transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage liver disease, yet the immunological consequences of surgical trauma in these patients are not fully understood. The liver plays a central role in immune regulation, and its dysfunction in HBV-related chronic liver disease may alter the systemic stress response to surgery. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the stress response to surgical trauma of patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for HBV-related chronic liver disease in comparison to living liver donors (LLDs). Methods: This prospective study included 20 LDLT recipients with HBV infection and 20 LLDs who underwent living donor hepatectomy between August 2020 and February 2021. Specific biochemical markers (IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-22, IFN-γ, TNF-α, TGF-β, GM-CSF, GLDH, and GalactB) were measured at designated intervals: preoperative day 0 (Preop), immediately after incision (Incision), post-hepatectomy (Hepatectomy), postoperative day 0 (POD0), POD1, and POD3 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Routine hematological and biochemical parameters (WBC, HGB, PLT, RDW, MPV, PDW, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, albumin, total bilirubin, plateletcrit, phosphorus, fibrinogen, and INR) were measured regularly at five predetermined times: Preop, POD0, POD1, POD2, and POD3. Results: Prior to LDLT, LDLT recipients had significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ) compared to LLDs (p < 0.05). However, following liver implantation, these cytokine levels increased significantly at POD0, POD1, and POD3 (p < 0.001). Specifically, IL-1 levels elevated from 0 in the preop period to 21.5 (97.5) in POD3, and IL-6 elevated from 0 in the preop period to 28.3 at POD3 (p = 0.056). Similarly, TNF-α and IFN-γ levels exhibited significant upward trends (p < 0.05). In contrast, cytokine levels in LLDs remained stable throughout the perioperative period, revealing no statistically significant variations (p > 0.05). Routine hematological and biochemical parameters demonstrated significant postoperative fluctuations in LDLT recipients, reflecting the metabolic and immune restoration process. Conclusions: These findings indicate that patients with HBV-related chronic liver disease exhibit a diminished stress response to trauma due to underlying immune dysregulation caused by chronic hepatic dysfunction. However, after LDLT, the stress response gradually normalizes, suggesting that liver transplantation not only restores hepatic function but also reestablishes immune homeostasis, potentially reducing infection risks and improving postoperative recovery. These findings emphasize the crucial role of the liver in regulating the body’s stress response to trauma and highlight the immunological benefits of LDLT in restoring immune homeostasis. Full article

End-of-life wind turbine blade accumulation is a growing global materials management problem and current industrial recycling routes for glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites remain limited in material recovery value. There is limited understanding on how to recover clean glass fibers while keeping thermal exposure and energy input low, and existing studies have not quantified whether very short isothermal thermal residence can still result in complete matrix removal. The hypothesis of this study is that a mild two-step thermochemical sequence can recover clean glass fibers at lower temperature and near zero isothermal dwell if pyrolysis and oxidation are separated. We used wind-blade epoxy-based GFRP in a step-batch reactor and combined TGA-based thermodynamic mapping, short pyrolysis at 425 °C, and mild oxidation at 475 °C with controlled dwell from zero to thirty minutes. We applied model-free kinetics and machine learning methods to quantify activation energy trends as a function of conversion. The thermal treatment of 425 °C for zero minutes in nitrogen, followed by 475 °C for fifteen minutes in air, resulted in mechanically sound, visually clean white fibers. These fibers retained 76% of the original tensile strength and 88% of the Young’s modulus, which indicates the potential for energy-efficient GFRP recycling. The activation energy was found to be approximately 120 to 180 kJ mol⁻¹. These findings demonstrate energy lean recycling potential for GFRP and can inform future industrial scale thermochemical designs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Informal caregivers play a crucial role in healthcare, but when caregiving ends the “post-caregivers” often remain invisible and unsupported. Post-caregivers face needs such as reconstructing their identity and finding space and time to grieve. This study aimed to design a support network for informal post-caregivers by exploring perceptions of diverse stakeholders. Methods: A qualitative inductive study was conducted using three focus groups (n = 15; ages 35–70; 12 women, 3 men) held online between June and July 2023. Participants included palliative care team members, home support professionals, general practitioners, informal caregivers, post-caregivers, and members of civil society. A semi-structured guide was used, and narratives were analyzed with a Narrative Medicine-informed approach and thematic analysis. Results: Community-For-Care emerged as an overarching and distinctive concept that, while aligned with the ethos of Compassionate Communities, specifically addresses the transition after caregiving ends, a phase largely absent from existing models. It symbolizes the “living forces of the community” mobilized to accompany informal post-caregivers through identity reconstruction, bereavement, and reintegration. Three interrelated thematic axes structure this concept: (1) Compassion Axis—emphasizing a compassionate community that values caregiving; (2) Coordinated Action Axis—highlighting coordinated, continuous support across healthcare and community services; and (3) Care Literacy Axis—underscoring education and training for caregivers, post-caregivers, and professionals. These axes dynamically interact to empower post-caregivers and stitch the holes in the support network. Conclusions: A community-centered, post-caregiver-focused framework such as Community-For-Care offers a novel extension of compassionate communities by directly addressing the loneliness, identity rupture, and invisibility that often characterize the transition after caregiving. Reinforcing compassion, coordinated action, and care literacy can enable communities to better acknowledge the contributions and ongoing needs of post-caregivers, supporting their emotional recovery, social reintegration, and reconstruction of daily life. By integrating these three axes into community practice, the model introduces a post-care-specific structure that can enhance well-being, reduce preventable health decline, and relieve pressure on formal services by mobilizing local, civic, and relational assets. Full article

The end-of-life phase of a building, which includes demolition and waste disposal, represents a crucial aspect of sustainable construction. In Europe, construction and demolition (C&D) waste accounts for approximately 40% of the total waste generated in the EU, making its management a global challenge. The EU Construction & Demolition Waste Management Protocol (2024) emphasizes the importance of evaluating, before proceeding with the demolition of a building, whether renovation could be a more efficient solution, considering economic, environmental, and technical aspects. From an economic perspective, demolition costs vary depending on several factors, including project size, structural complexity, techniques employed (conventional or non-conventional), materials to be removed, and local regulations. In addition to the direct costs of the intervention, it is essential to consider indirect impacts, such as the management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, the removal of hazardous substances, and potential environmental damage to be mitigated. This study analyzes a case located in Italy, in the municipality of Caivano (Metropolitan City of Naples, in Campania region), concerning a building that required energy efficiency improvements and seismic upgrades. The decision to demolish and rebuild proved to be economically more advantageous than renovation, while also allowing a 35% increase in volume, enabling the creation of a greater number of housing units. Through the analysis of this real case study, the aim is to highlight how investments in demolition, if properly planned, designed, assessed, and managed, can effectively contribute to building redevelopment, supporting the transition towards a sustainable construction model in line with the principles of the circular economy. Full article

Baltimore’s historic row-home neighborhoods face escalating risks to energy, heat, and durability under intensifying climate stress. This study develops a Housing-Performance Atlas that quantifies multi-hazard performance for eight representative archetypes using DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus Version 7.3.1.003, under Baltimore TMY3 boundary conditions. Performance is evaluated across the following four adaptation domains: energy use intensity, passive survivability during 72 h outage events, roof overheating exposure (>150 °F exceedance hours), and material service life derived from ISO 15686 and synthesized into Lean and Full Deficit Indices for comparative resilience ranking. Results show that EUI ranged from 46.7 to 67.6 kBtu ft⁻²·yr⁻¹, survivability from 0 to 23 h, and roof temperatures exceeded 150 °F for 150–210 h, shortening roof service life by up to 10 years. Composite Lean and Full Deficit Indices ranged 7.8–92.4, ranking Model 5 (end-unit, flat roof, two-story with basement) as the most resilient configuration and Model 8 (end-unit, pitched roof, three-story above-grade) as the least resilient due to compounded overheating and energy losses. Heat-related domains accounted for nearly 70% of overall resilience deficits, confirming thermal safety and roof reflectivity as retrofit priorities. The Housing-Performance Atlas establishes a reproducible diagnostic framework linking simulation, service life, and resilience metrics to guide cost-effective, climate-responsive retrofits in Baltimore’s aging urban housing stock. Full article

This research presents a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a modern behind-the-ear hearing aid system, with the objective of assessing its environmental impacts and identifying areas for improvement and innovation. The assessment, developed in compliance with ISO 14040/14044, included the entire product system—including accessories, packaging, use phase, and end-of-life treatment—over a period of five years. The results provide an in-depth evaluation of its freshwater ecotoxicity, human carcinogenic toxicity, global warming, and fossil resource scarcity as key impact categories. Considerable environmental impacts were associated with certain components, manufacturing processes, and logistics. Strategies for improvement, including material replacement, increased component durability, packaging optimization, and sustainable sourcing of energy, were suggested. The investigation demonstrates how LCA can facilitate eco-design and sustainability in medical electronics. The findings of this work are derived from experimental modeling in an academic setting, which includes intrinsic uncertainties. The results emphasize the significance of using LCA as a strategic instrument to guide product development and to pinpoint opportunities for environmental improvement. Full article

Due to the dominance of renewable energy sources and DC loads, modern power distribution systems are undergoing a transformative shift toward DC microgrids. Therefore, this article is structured to present information on the design, optimization, control, and management of DC microgrids, demonstrating that DC systems have superseded AC systems across power production, transmission, and distribution. The core cause of this superiority is the DC microgrid’s scalability, flexibility, and ease of control. This review is focused on the structural analysis, intelligent and management schemes, market employability, and reliability analysis of a DC microgrid. After this work, some methods are presented that ensure the engineered DC microgrid remains robust to various environmental and operational conditions throughout its service life. The article is enriched with methodological flowcharts and block diagrams, from which design insights can be gained to design a reliable, resilient, robust DC microgrid. The article ends with an indication of how the future energy landscape will look, with the realization of modern technologies through DC microgrids. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study explored end-of-life care stress, attitudes toward end-of-life care, and end-of-life care performance as predictors of job satisfaction among hospital nurses. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed to assess job satisfaction among nurses with end-of-life care experience in tertiary and general hospitals in South Korea. A convenience sample of 215 nurses was recruited. Eligibility criteria included at least 3 months of experience as a direct care nurse and having provided care to terminally ill patients at least once. Data were collected through an online survey. The study variables included end-of-life care stress, attitudes toward end-of-life care, end-of-life care performance, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Attitudes toward end-of-life care (β = 0.277, p < 0.001) and end-of-life care performance (β = 0.339, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of job satisfaction, with being enrolled in a master’s nursing program (β = 0.228, p < 0.001) also contributing positively. End-of-life care stress showed no direct association with job satisfaction. The final model explained 29.4% of the variance in job satisfaction (adjusted R² = 0.294). Conclusions: End-of-life care performance was the strongest predictor of job satisfaction, suggesting that nurses’ perceived competence enhances professional fulfillment. Positive attitudes toward end-of-life care further strengthen satisfaction. Continuous education and supportive organizational environments are essential to enhance nurses’ competence, attitudes toward end-of-life care, and quality of end-of-life care. Full article