Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as emerging contaminants, often co-occur with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and are prevalent in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). In this study, the characteristics of free-living (FL) and particle-associated (PA) ARGs associated with bacterial communities were investigated along two processes within a full-scale DWTP. A total of 13 ARGs and two MGEs were detected. FL-ARGs with diverse subtypes and PA-ARGs with high abundances displayed significantly different structures. PA-MGEs showed a strong positive correlation with PA-ARGs. Chlorine dioxide disinfection achieved 1.47-log reduction of FL-MGEs in process A and 0.24-log reduction of PA-MGEs in process B. Notably, PA-fraction virtually disappeared after treatment, while blaTEM, sul2, mexE, mexF and IntI1 of FL-fraction remained in the finished water. Moreover, Acinetobacter lwoffii (0.04 % ∼ 45.58 %) and Acinetobacter schindleri (0.00 % ∼ 18.54 %) dominated the 16 pathogens, which were more abundant in FL than PA bacterial communities. PA bacteria exhibited a more complex structure with more keystone species than FL bacteria. MGEs contributed 20.23 % and 19.31 % to the changes of FL-ARGs and PA-ARGs respectively, and water quality was a key driver (21.73 %) for PA-ARGs variation. This study provides novel insights into microbial risk control associated with size-fractionated ARGs in drinking water.

The current systematic and meta-analytic review sought to integrate a growing number of studies examining dimensions of psychological flexibility as treatment mechanisms for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Analyses of 77 records (67 unique studies; Ntotal = 9123 participants) from comprehensive searches of multiple databases suggested that ACT interventions led to reduced inflexibility (i.e., lowered global inflexibility, lack of present moment awareness, cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, self-as-content, & inaction) and increased flexibility (i.e., committed action/contact with values, global flexibility/acceptance, & defusion). Those changes remained significant when ACT was compared with waitlist or active treatments and were significantly linked to corresponding drops in psychological distress, supporting their roles as ACT treatment mechanisms. Moderation analyses revealed that the use of student samples, exclusion of clinically symptomatic individuals, and comparisons of ACT with other active treatments weakened these effects whereas offering ACT as an individual therapy and excluding individuals in extreme crisis (i.e., with suicidal ideation) strengthened them. The meta-analytic findings and systematic review suggested specific recommendations for future clinical work and research on ACT mechanisms: (1) Evaluate both psychological flexibility and inflexibility as distinct treatment mechanisms, (2) Evaluate specific dimensions of psychological flexibility/inflexibility as mechanisms with multidimensional scales (CompACT, MPFI), (3) Broaden treatment outcomes to include forms of wellbeing (peace of mind, vitality, connectedness), (4) Assess mechanisms and outcomes repeatedly throughout treatment to model the process of therapeutic change, (5) Investigate non-specific factors (therapeutic alliance, treatment adherence) as mechanisms, and (6) Explore treatment mechanisms in effectiveness studies.

Efforts in water ecosystem conservation require an understanding of causative factors and removal efficacies associated with mixture toxicity during wastewater treatment. This study conducts a comprehensive investigation into the interplay between wastewater estrogenic activity and 30 estrogen-like endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) across 12 municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) spanning four seasons in China. Results reveal substantial estrogenic activity in all WWTPs and potential endocrine-disrupting risks in over 37.5 % of final effluent samples, with heightened effects during colder seasons. While phthalates are the predominant EEDCs (concentrations ranging from 86.39 %) for both estrogenic activity and major EEDCs (phthalates and estrogens), with the secondary and tertiary treatment segments contributing 88.59 ± 8.12 % and 11.41 ± 8.12 %, respectively. Among various secondary treatment processes, the anaerobic/anoxic/oxic-membrane bioreactor (A/A/O-MBR) excels in removing both estrogenic activity and EEDCs. In tertiary treatment, removal efficiencies increase with the inclusion of components involving physical, chemical, and biological removal principles. Furthermore, correlation and multiple liner regression analysis establish a significant (p < 0.05) positive association between solid retention time (SRT) and removal efficiencies of estrogenic activity and EEDCs within WWTPs. This study provides valuable insights from the perspective of prioritizing key pollutants, the necessity of integrating more efficient secondary and tertiary treatment processes, along with adjustments to operational parameters like SRT, to mitigate estrogenic activity in municipal WWTPs. This contribution aids in managing endocrine-disrupting risks in wastewater as part of ecological conservation efforts.

Papermaking wastewater contained various of toxic and hazardous pollutants that pose significant threats to both the ecosystem and human health. Despite these risks, limited research has addressed the detoxification efficiency and mechanism involved in the typical process treatment of papermaking wastewater. In this study, the acute toxicity of papermaking wastewater after different treatment processes was assessed using luminousbacteria, zebrafish and Daphnia magna (D. magna). Meanwhile, the pollution parament of the corresponding wastewater were measured, and the transformation of organic pollutant in the wastewater was identified by three-dimensional fluorescence and other techniques. Finally, the possible mechanism of toxicity variation in different treatment processes were explored in combination with correlation analyses. The results showed that raw papermaking wastewater displayed high acute toxicity to luminousbacteria, and exhibited slight acute toxicity and acute toxicity effect to zebrafish and D. magna, respectively. After physical and biochemical processes, not only the toxicity of the wastewater to zebrafish and D. magna was completely eliminated, but also the inhibitory effect on luminousbacteria was significantly reduced (TU value decreased from 11.07 to 1.66). Among them, the order of detoxification efficiency on luminousbacteria was air flotation > hydrolysis acidification > IC > aerobic process. Correlation analyses revealed a direct link between the reduced of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and the detoxification efficiency of the different processes on the wastewater. In particular, the removal of benzene-containing aromatic pollutant correlated positively with decreased toxicity. However, the Fenton process, despite lowering TOC and COD, increased of the acute toxicity of the luminousbacteria (TU value increased from 1.66 to 2.33). This may result from the transformation generation of organic pollutant and oxidant residues during the Fenton process. Hence, oxidation technologies such as the Fenton process, as a deep treatment process, should be more concerned about the ecological risks that may be caused while focusing on their effectiveness in removing pollutant.

Self-monitoring in tumor therapy is a concept that allows for real-time monitoring of the location and state of applied nanomaterials. This monitoring relies on dynamic signals, such as wave or magnetic signals, which vary in response to changes in the location and state of nanomaterials. Dynamic changes in nanomaterials can be monitored using dynamic signals, making it possible to determine and control the treatment process. Theranostic nanomaterials, which possess unique physical and chemical properties, have recently been explored as a viable option for self-monitoring. With the help of self-monitoring, theranostic nanomaterials can guide themselves to achieve region-selective treatment with higher controllability and safety. In this review, self-monitoring theranostic nanomaterials will be introduced in three parts according to their roles during therapy: tumor accumulation, tumor therapy, and metabolism. The limitations and future challenges of current self-monitoring theranostic nanomaterials will also be discussed.

Nano/microplastic (NP/MP) pollution is a growing concern for the water environment. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered the major recipients of MP before discharging into local waterbodies. MPs enter WWTPs mainly from synthetic fibers through washing activities and personal care products. To control and prevent NP/MP pollution, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of their characteristics, fragmentation mechanisms, and the effectiveness of the current treatment processes used in WWTPs for NP/MP removal. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to (i) understand the detailed mapping of NP/MP in the WWTP, (ii) understand the fragmentation mechanisms of MP into NP, and (iii) investigate the removal efficiency of NP/MP by existing processes in the WWTP. This study found that fiber is the dominant shape of MP, and polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene are the major polymer type of MP in wastewater samples. Crack propagation and mechanical breakdown of MP due to water shear forces induced by treatment facilities (e.g., pumping, mixing, and bubbling) could be the major causes for NP generation in the WWTP. Conventional wastewater treatment processes are ineffective for the complete removal of MPs. Although these processes are capable of removing ∼95% of MPs, they tend to accumulate in sludge. Thus, a significant number of MPs may still be released into the environment from WWTPs on a daily basis. Therefore, this study suggested that using DAF process in the primary treatment unit can be an effective strategy to control MP in the initial stage before it goes to the secondary and tertiary stage.

Impulsivity represents a risk factor for patients with binge-eating disorder, and we therefore investigated the treatment process of impulsive behaviors including binge-eating episodes in the randomized controlled IMPULS trial. Using 8 weekly online questionnaires throughout the assessment period, we compared 41 patients participating in the IMPULS program, which emphasized impulsive eating behavior (IG), with 39 control patients who received no intervention (CG). We assessed the frequency of binge eating, other impulsive behaviors, situations in which such behaviors could be inhibited, and the execution of alternative behaviors. Results indicate a stronger binge-eating reduction in the IG compared to the CG at the fifth, seventh, and eighth treatment weeks. Overall, both groups reduced other impulsive behaviors. They did not differ in the amount of inhibited impulsive behaviors and showed similar alternative behaviors, \"distraction\" most frequently used. IG patients evaluated the IMPULS program as very helpful. The stronger reduction of binge eating in the IG and positive evaluation of the treatment indicate a specific treatment effect regarding impulsive eating behavior. The reduction of other impulsive behaviors across both groups, and the initial reduction of binge eating within the CG, could be explained by an increased degree of self-observation.

The present work aims to describe and review the available technologies and the recent advancements in treating industrial wastewater containing tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). It is a quaternary ammonium salt and widely used in the microelectronics industry; this kind of company produces large quantities of wastewater containing TMAH. The exhausted solutions must be treated appropriately since TMAH is corrosive, toxic to human health, and ecotoxic. Regarding the concentration at discharge, currently there are no European regulations. Still, it has been indicated that the substance has a negative influence on the oxygen balance and cause eutrophication, and fall into the relevant categories. In the first part of the work, the available technologies and the recent advancements for the treatment of TMAH contained in industrial wastewater are reviewed. Separation methods as such adsorption, ion exchange, membrane processes, and destruction technologies classified as advanced oxidation processes and biological processes have been considered. In the second part of the manuscript, industrial patented wastewater treatments have been described. Biological processes are those more used, being more economically feasible, require very long times not always sustainable.

Accurately predicting the water quality of treated water from a water treatment plant (WWTP) based on the obtained operating database is of great significance. However, it is difficult for common mechanistic models to work well. In this study, a back propagation artificial neural network (BPANN) model with high accuracy was developed to predict the denitrification efficiency based on a 1-year operating database. Standardized principal component analysis (PCA) methods were used to address the data, and the PCA processed data exhibited the best accuracy. In three WWTPs adopting the anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A2O) process, the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency of WWTPs was successfully predicted by using five variables: inlet flow rate, pH value, original ammonia nitrogen concentration, Chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration, and total phosphorus concentration. Importantly, the obtained BPANN model can be effectively used for other widely used treatment processes, such as oxidation ditch (OD), sequencing batch reactor activated sludge process (SBR), membrane bioreactor (MBR), and cyclic activated sludge technology (CAST), by simply optimizing the training data ratios between 50/50 and 90/10. This is the first trial to set up a universal model for predicting the denitrification efficiency of WWTPs adopting common biological processes. The model could be used to choose the optimum treatment process in the new WWTP design or take action in advance to avoid the risk of excessive emissions when the already built WWTPs are subjected to sudden shocks.

We argue that non-stigmatizing and precise terminology grounded in the medical model will advance both the science and public acceptance of psychedelics. Researchers and clinicians should take care to distinguish between medical, recreational, and spiritual uses to set clear boundaries and expectations for patients. Ethically fraught or stigmatizing terms should be replaced with terminology that is medically and scientifically descriptive and accurate. A medicalized linguistic framework around psychedelics will potentially yield benefits and mitigate risks. Replacing colloquial names with scientific names for medicines and therapies may help correct misconceptions about psychedelics commonly held by both professionals and the public. A harmonized medical lexicon will also provide a common language for important instances of communication-such as the informed consent process-between professionals and participants. Our recommendations draw upon communications research in addiction medicine and aim to encourage the development, acceptance, and implementation of non-stigmatizing terminology in psychedelic research and treatment.