Microplastics (MPs), including polymers such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS), are widespread environmental contaminants detected in air, water, soil, and food. These particles originate from the breakdown of larger plastics and from direct industrial and consumer sources, including packaging, textiles, and personal care products. MPs enter the human body primarily through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact, with food, water, and air serving as major exposure pathways. Once internalized, MPs have been found in various human tissues and biological fluids, indicating their capacity for bioaccumulation. Toxicological studies in experimental models and occupational settings link MP exposure to oxidative stress, inflammation, cellular dysfunction, and potential organ toxicity, including effects on the gastrointestinal, respiratory, immune, reproductive, and nervous systems. PVC microplastics, in particular, are associated with liver toxicity and increased cancer risk in occupationally exposed populations. MPs can also act as vectors for environmental pollutants and plastic-associated chemicals, further amplifying health risks. This review summarizes the classification, major sources, exposure routes, and toxicological activity of MPs. A comprehensive understanding of MP properties is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate their persistent harmful effects on public health and the environment. Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.
In this paper, integrated quantum neural network (QNN), which is a class of feedforward
neural networks (FFNN’s), is performed through emerging quantum computing (QC) with artificial neural network(ANN) classifier. It is used in data classification technique, and here iris flower data is used as a classification signals. For this purpose independent component analysis (ICA) is used as a feature extraction technique after normalization of these signals, the architecture of (QNN’s) has inherently built in fuzzy, hidden units of these networks (QNN’s) to develop quantized representations of sample information provided by the training data set in various graded levels of certainty. Experimental results presented here show that
... Show MoreThe concept of intertextuality was one of the problems that occupied the attention of critics and critics in targeting the structure of textual intertextuality between texts and their overlap in the process of producing meaning. Until intertextuality became a stable term and it can be monitored in the structure of the theatrical text and determining the mechanisms of this intertextuality between texts through fields and classifications agreed upon by the most important critics who wrote and considered intertextuality. Perhaps our previous research (the approach of exposure in the epistemological hallway to intertextuality) was an attempt to interview a terminology, which the researcher intended to monitor, through the mechanisms of inter
... Show MoreThis study is a numerical investigation of the performance of reinforced concrete (RC) columns after fire exposure. This study aims to investigate the effect of introducing lateral ties and using the RC jacket on improving post-fire behavior of these columns, the effect of the duration of the fire on ultimate load of columns. The analysis was performed through ABAQUS, a 3D – non-linear finite element program. 4 m tall lengthening square RC column with a cross- section of 0.4 m × 0.4 m was used as a test specimen. The RC column was reinforced by 4Ø28 mm longitudinal bars bonded by steel tie bars of Ø10 mm spaced at 400 mm. The firing temperature was increased to 60
The liver is an important organ in the body that can be affected by many drugs and toxins. The hepatotoxins can cause oxidant stress that lead to activation of inflammatory cells and cause liver damage. Drug induced bile duct injuries are related to drug toxicity, multiple drugs have been known to cause the development of liver granulomas. Carbamazepine (CBZ) among other antiepileptic drugs is believed to cause hepatic injury. In this study we investigated the effect of (CBZ) 20mg/kg/day on female mice liver after 14 and 30 days of treatment. The histological findings showed that (CBZ) can cause histological alterations in the liver components such as bile duct proliferation, biliary hypertrophy, ductopenia, inflammatory cells infiltration
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Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the occupational health hazards that face health care providers in Sulaimani City.
Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted utilizing quantitative data collection methods. It involved 159 respondents including Physicians, Pharmacists, Medical assistants, Laboratory Instructors and Nurses who worked in 8 major health facilities in Sulaimani city, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
Results: Nurses were the most susceptible group to sharp related injuries 13.84%, cuts and wounds 10.69% than the others and they were more experiencing verbal abuse in the workplace 15%. Laboratory instructors represent the most exposed group
... Show MoreObjective: To assess nurses' exposure to hospitals chronic diseases hazards in Thi-Qar governorate, and to identify the association between nurses' socio-demographic characteristics of age, sex, marital status, place of work, the experience and educational attainment and their exposure to the hazards of chronic diseases. Methodology: A purposive "non-probability" sample of (433) nurses who were selected from four public hospitals in Thi-qar governorate for the period from November 4th 2013 to June 8th of 2014. Results: The study results indicated that that the vast majority of participants have mild chronic di